Sex Offender Case shows the ease with which perverts can get round lax MySpace safety nets
Amy L. Edwards in the Orlando Sentinel has a revealing article following the criminal case against William Ciccotto, a 51 year old pervert, who used MySpace to collect more than 3,500 pictures and 1,700 Videos of children aged 10-16 using a profile and text language that enabled him to befriend them as a fictitious “13 year old bisexual girl” named “Cindy Westin”.
The details where revealed in a 20 page plea agreement as he pleaded guilty in an Orlando Federal Court. Agents uncovered an all too familiar tale: after meeting through MySpace the pervert opened up unmoderated instant messaging dialogues and SMS texts through a “prepaid cell phone” that he set up to hide his identity.
The pervert used familiar text shorthand to build confidence before requesting pictures which he then traded with other sickos. He also asked the victims where they where so that he could go to that location and watch them. It is uncertain whether he physically attacked any of his victims.
Federal officials say parents and children who want to learn more about Internet safety should visit Project Safe Childhood and Safe Florida.
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I seriously wonder how long it will be before just being on a social networking site that has no proper means of age verification is regarded as a sign that you will tolerate this behaviour?
