We Did it Again!

GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) -- Twenty-one men were arrested for soliciting sex from underage girls over the Internet during a three-day sting at a Grand Rapids Township home.

For weeks, volunteers with the group Perverted Justice have chatted with 200 men from Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio. The suspects had already contacted the "teens" - adults acting as decoys - in online chat rooms. The decoys then agreed to meet the suspects for sex.

One by one the men showed up at the door as Del Harvey, a young-looking 26-year-old volunteer with Perverted Justice, greeted them. The men thought they were following their 13-year-old date. Instead, they were met with armed agents and deputies.

"You've go to be kidding me" said one of the suspects as he was handcuffed and led away.

24 Hour News 8 obtained exclusive access to the operation, which began Friday afternoon and was conducted by the Michigan Attorney General's Office and Kent County Sheriff's Department.

Of those arrested, 24 Hour News 8 has found that only a few had criminal records prior to this weekend's arrests. Most were minor run-ins with the law, including delivery of marijuana, disturbing the peace and misdemeanor larceny.

The criminal histories, or in many cases the lack of any, goes along with what many experts have warned. These predators could be anyone, including the innocent-acting guy next door.

"What we hope, quite frankly, working with your station, is that for a long time, predators think twice, or three or four times, before they think about showing up to meet some kid -- 13- or 14-year-old -- from the greater Grand Rapids area," said Attorney General Michael Cox.

Some of the men drove more than 100 miles to the home where the sting occurred. Others made much shorter trips, from Wyoming and Byron Center.

Another suspect - 20-year-old Eric Wesche - was recently a part-time coach for the JV soccer team at Cedar Springs High School. Wesche allegedly made a date with the "online teen" the day before the junior varsity soccer season ended.

School officials met with team members Monday afternoon and sent letters home to parents notifying them of Wesche's arrest. They say they have no reports of incidents involving Wesche and the players.

On Monday, 24 Hour News 8 knocked on Wesche's door, and the doors of six other men from the Grand Rapids area busted this weekend, from rural Cedar Springs, to upscale East Grand Rapids, to suburban Wyoming. No one answered.

While the local men aren't talking, Tyson Jenkins is. He is the suspect who drove three hours, from Monterey, Indiana to Grand Rapids Township to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

Jenkins is what experts would call a textbook predator. He thought about getting caught, but didn't think he had done enough to get busted. He told 24 Hour News 8 he never intended to carry out his liaison.

"A lot of times I thought that, ya know...all fun. 'Cause it's no contact. Nothin'. Just fun," said Jenkins, a disabled Gulf War Veteran.

He is married but has no children.

It wasn't the first time Jenkins talked with underage girls on the Internet. But he claims the other conversations never turned sexual.

Transcripts of Jenkins' Internet chat with the decoy suggest something else. In the conversations, Jenkins claims to have had sex with another 13-year-old.

All of the suspects remain lodged in the Kent County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

Cox said an actual appearance by a suspect can boost the state's case against them in court. He said there is also a greater benefit to the public.

"This ought to give everyone out there a sense of how determined some of these folks are. That should be a very scary prospect for folks."

To see the men arrested and charged in the predator sting, view the slide show of their mug shots.

Other links to more stories:
http://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/index.ssf/2008/10/men_caught_in_internet_child_p.html

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/news_story.aspx?storyid=100290&catid=14

Update

Well I know I haven't added anything in a very long time... so here goes.

After our sting back in March which netted 27 men who showed up at our bust house, there was another round of arrests! This brought in another 11 men bringing the total number to 38 over all. Here's the article off our main page of Perverted Justice.

11 more arrested in Michigan

We can't say enough good things about Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox. The man, well, he just kicks ass and takes names. Over a four day period earlier this year, we did a large-scale group sting in Michigan with his office and some law enforcement. That sting resulted in 27 individuals showing to the sting house and being arrested. It was a very good sting operation.

Now, most locations we've done stings in... they get those kind of numbers and they're usually done. Not AG Cox, however, because as soon as the "official" sting wrapped, they were already talking about going to individuals that solicited our decoy profiles but did not show up to the sting house.

Today, Cox and his office put together the 11th arrest of individuals who didn't show up to the sting operation but had solicited our profiles during it. The arrests are documented via a press release his office put out and a bevy of local media stories (including mugshots and names).

The 11 arrests of no-shows together with the arrests of those who did show put the results of that sting operation to 38 arrests in total. We're very happy with the way this sting has been conducted and beyond pleased with the results.

We could say much more about it, but Attorney General Cox put it best with his statement... "If you solicit a child for sex, or send sexually graphic material to a youngster, you do not escape prosecution just because you never got off your couch" We really couldn't agree more.

Well We Did It Again!!

I have to admit this was so much fun to be involved in! Just knowing that these 27 aren't on the internet anymore to hurt our kids is soooo rewarding to me. And the fact that it was in MY state helps even more! Here's the basics and if I have more to follow I will add it as the time comes. Ask questions if you want, I will always post the answers, but please know that there are some things that I can not talk about 1) because these guys still have not been convicted and 2) depending on the question I can not divulge how we do things. Have fun reading ...

27 arrested in Wayne County, Michigan sting

After a long seven months of expansions and new projects, our volunteers came together to go back to our bread and butter: large-scale police stings. The result? 27 internet sexual predators arrested over March 7th-9th in Wayne County, Michigan. Our volunteers combed out all over Michigan and the results were once again overwhelming. Men of all backgrounds hit up 13-14 year old decoy profiles and arrived at a house to be arrested.

With all stings, there are stories that seem unbelievable. In the Detroit area, dogged determination was the hallmark of these sexual predators. During a harsh wintry weekend, we saw predators arrive by every type of car imaginable, five came in taxi's and one predator rode a bike through snowy freezing temperature in the middle of the night... ten miles... to the sting location. One predator even got a flat-tire on the way to the bust house, drove a distance on it before stopping to fix it with the help of a nearby policeman. He told the officer that he was going to meet a friend before continuing straight to the bust house operation.

If anyone thinks these guys aren't out there anymore or that this issue is finished, think again.

Special thanks to the Michigan Attorney General's office, especially Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox. Their office has been a dream to work with, and we hope they're as pleased with our work as we were pleased with their professionalism and ability. Michigan residents can be very proud of their extremely pro-active Attorney General's Office.

We'd also like to thank the Wayne County Sheriff's Office who provided the boots and handcuffs on the ground to take care of these guys once they arrived. They supplied an unprecedented level of coverage and surveillance to make sure that every predator who entered the area left with handcuffs on. The fine people at Wayne County have been great to work with. As well, thanks to the Van Buren Township Department of Public Safety for their support and work during the weekend sting operation. Also, thanks to the fine folks at Investigative Mechanics, especially Mitchell Wagenberg, for working with us to film this operation and to provide first-class video surveillance.

27 predators during a sting operation is the fifth-most we've ever had for a large-scale police sting, and the second-most outside of California. The difference between this sting and the others? Well, again, this sting saw predators brave wintry weather conditions. Snow, cold, nothing stopped them from getting to the goal. Again, we're extremely pleased with the outcome of this sting operation... it's very nice to be back doing what we do best!

Related video: WDIV in Detroit covering the press conference by Michigan AG

I'm ready for 2009 already!

Well, all is ok here… I mean I’m alive and everyone is well… lol. As far as the small stuff that’s another story. Let’s see…here’s the story:

Dec 31^st, 2007: Payroll was processed at the company I work for. This means in 10-14 day I will have my paycheck deposited into my account. Now… I have been working with this company for about a year and unless for some unseen circumstance happens it is always there BY the 10^th day after it is processed.

Jan 9^th, 2008: I have no paycheck deposit in my account. That’s ok I still have another day…

Jan 10^th, 2008: I had a migraine and didn’t even et out of bed and never checked on things.

Friday Jan 11^th, 2008: My daughter is planning on going to Jr/Sr Banquet and today is the last day to pay for tickets. Well it’s the 11^th and I am assuming that my check should be there and even if it does go as far as the 14^th day that would be Monday and the check that I write to the school will not make it there before my paycheck gets deposited. Fair assumption?? Ok.. this was my first error and yes I know what happens when you assume…lol I write the check and send her and my son off to school, log into my bank account… NOPE still not there. Check my email………

PANIC TIME!!!

On Fri Jan 10^th, 2008 I received an email that read:

“We recently transitioned our accounts payable system from Company A to Company B at the beginning of 2008. As such we have encountered an unexpected delay in processing payables for the period ending 12/31/07. This issue will be resolved shortly with payment being issued by the end of next week. Those who were previously enrolled in direct deposit will continue to receive payment via direct deposit and those not enrolled in direct deposit will continue to receive payment via check (no action is needed on your end).

Please note that Company B’s terms of payment have not changed. We will still be issuing payment within a week and a half to two weeks from the “summary date” or period ending date in CIMS—paying for the jobs completed within the last 30-45 days.

We thank you for your dedication and hard work and look forward to a great 2008! If you have any questions or concerns please fill free to contact me via E-mail or at the number listed in my contact information below.

Sincerely,”

WTF?!?!?!

Ok… I’ll give them a chance to recoup and hopefully it will just be a day or two before all this ends….

I wait a few days and yep… the check I wrote to the school has now come in and bounced. Ok… My Bad… that was my fault I didn’t have the money there and I wrote the check anyway. So I’m watching my account to see if it’s going to get re deposited and yep… there it goes again. Ok… I should be safe it went through twice right?

Jan 15^th, 2008: I got hit with another NSF fee for another “check” that was attempted to be debited.

Jan 17^th, 2008: I hit a curb and blew out my front passenger tire and bent the rim…. That’s going to cost me!!

Jan 18^th. 2008: Another NSF Fee for yet another “check” that was attempted. I also received an email from the payroll dept after I bugged them that said:

“We still do not have a date set as to when payments will be sent out. We are hoping to have further information the first part of next week. Thanks”

Now I’m thinking the school is really wanting to get this check to go through because I have never seen 4 times for a check to be tried. Now mind you every time I receive an NSF fee it is $36! I am now $144 in the hole because I was basically at $0 when all this started (from X-mas shopping).

Jan 24^th, 2008: I GOT PAID!!! YAY!!! (No that didn't bring me out of the negative) Now what my question is to them is this… payroll is processed on the 15^th and the 31^st (30^th) of the month…. It is now the 24^th… what about the paycheck that was supposed to come any day now??? So I wrote them an email… I got no response.

Jan 25^th, 2008: I looked at my bank account and there was a pending debit for $25 on my account. PANIC! I searched through all my receipts and checkbook stubs and NOWHERE did I find anything that I did that would have been $25. So I called my bank. It’s my PAYROLL DEPT!!! also to top things off the debits that were made on the 15^th and the 18^th were ALSO from my payroll dept!! SO I called my payroll dept and hmmmm… no answer! I emailed…..no answer! Ok… It’s Friday…maybe they left early….It’s 3-4pm here and they are in Utah… ok maybe lunch. I tried to call later and the same thing… just rings to voice mail. I’m getting a little ticked off now….I’ll wait over the weekend.

Jan 27^th, 2008: I’m driving back from this Charlotte where I was doing a job for this company that I just LOVE so much right now and BLAMO… the car dies in the street!! I coast to the edge of the road and try to start it… nothing. Ok.. I don’t know a lot about cars but I know enough to say it was the alternator. Also we just had to change the battery just before Christmas. So I’m on the edge of the road in a dead car about 30 miles from home and hubby is in Saginaw working. Isn’t life grand??!?!?! I got a friend to drive me home left the car overnight and hubby went to get it the next day and towed it to the school so my son could work on it. We don’t pay for labor and he gets the education for his auto tech class… works for me!

Jan 28^th, 2008: YAY!! My second payroll check was deposited!! Now I’m not as much in the negative as before…lol.

Through the week I tried to get a hold of someone in the payroll dept.. no answers, ringing busy, no answers to my emails….I’m really pissed at this point.

Feb 1^st, 2008: YET ANOTHER debit for $25 was attempted from my account!!!!!!

Today I called the bank and asked them what I could do to stop all this and the best I can do is to issue a rebuttal against all 4 of the times they tried to debit from my account. I am severely in debt on my account right now and I’m afraid to put ANY kind of money in it or they may try and take that too! I have a car that is still in the shop because we have had snow days for the school and my son hasn’t been able to get in to work on it enough. I’m just sooooo tired of being in this position!!

But otherwise everything is fine and the day to day is all I take it for right now.