Richmond man convicted in Louisa for soliciting minor
A 19-year-old Richmond man has been convicted in Louisa County of soliciting sex from a minor.
Robert Cox was arrested in October in a Louisa undercover operation aimed at sexual predators using the Internet to solicit children. Cox is a former employee of a day care center in Henrico County, according to Louisa Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Garrett, who did not name the center.
"It is difficult to understand why others would prey on children and it is troubling when that person works at a day care center," Garrett said.
The arrest came after an investigation by the Child Safety Initiative begun by Louisa in February 2008. Cox, using an Internet screen name, contacted an undercover officer who was posing as a 13-year-old girl in an online chat room, according to Garrett's office. Cox sent a picture of his penis to the girl before arranging a meeting on Oct. 18, 2008, when he was arrested.
Cox is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 21.
-- Michael Martz
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Reader Reactions
Glen Allen- I agree. The threat is always there- easy prey. Just like serial rapists and serial killers. They like what they are doing- and exposing them to the public is like a time bomb waiting to go off. A cure would be nice-but I do not think anything really works- and if they have already hurt someone-the damage is done.
MrCobray, enjoying the view of the women you see in the movies does not make you a sexual predator. Those ladies are dressed that way for men to look at them. Men that seek sex with young girls do so for power, not sex appeal. Often they do not even care if the child is male or female, they just get off on the ability to overpower them. We can study them and conduct all of the research we like, but if we let them free, they will offend again and again. If we are to keep them alive, we must keep them behind bars where they cannot offend our children. The courts are all aware that these people will continue to offend if let loose, but their hands are tied when it comes to sentencing because current laws are not strict enough. The laws are not strict enough because we cannot afford to keep the tens of thousands of offenders behind bars. The only affordable solution until such time we can find a cure, is to kill them. Sounds horrible, but the alternatives have not worked and our children cannot defend themselves against an adult.
You helped make my point Glen Allen…. however, we do not need to cut off their arms and legs in which you suggested in your early post.
We need to find the cause of the problem so we can identify it early in a person so we can have them seek help. I am in my 60s and I when I see some of the movies today and with what some of the women are wearing… I can only wish I was young again. I am only human and I would love to be with someone like this, but it will ONLY be in my dreams… not unles I pay for it. lol However, does this make me a “sexual predator”?
From wikipedia:
The causes of pedophilia are not known; research is ongoing.[15] Most pedophiles are men, though there are also women who are pedophiles.[11][16][17] Due to the stereotype that pedophiles are always male, it has been difficult to determine the prevalence of female pedophiles; however, studies in the UK and USA suggest that a range of 5% to 20% of child sexual abuse offenses are perpetrated by women.[18]
In forensic psychology and law enforcement, there have been a variety of typologies suggested to categorize pedophiles according to behavior and motivations.[19] No significant curative treatment for pedophilia has yet been found. There are, however, certain therapies that can reduce the incidence of pedophilic behaviors that result in child sexual abuse.[6][20]
To see the rest of this article, see the below link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedophilia
I feel we have all made excellant points in this discussion, as something needs to be done…. and done equally if it is a male or female predator. It does seem to be MORE male Predators than female Predators, however I agree with JohnBottom that the boy will not turn in the girl in who took advantage of him. He will brag about it with his friends. It usually ONLY happens when the parents hear about it and the female is caught.
If it is a male predator, I agree with Tamatha1 that the female may have more to loose… however, we want equal justice for all, and the law should not apply differently for one sex and not the other.
This is a 19 year old boy and in most respects he is really still not a mature person… ONLY in the eyes of the law which says you are a grown adult when you turn 18. I feel with someone of this age and NO prior offense, should be given whatever it takes to make him a whole person without making him worse with years of prison behind him.
Again he will come out and we all know what prison does to young people…. Once he is out, he has the right to move into your neighborhood. Do you want someone like this there? Or would you like to have someone who HAD a problem and now has become a productive person to the community.
What I got from that show on NBC was… these people who could be living next to you or I. And they all are NORMAL looking people. It tells me that there is a huge problem out there and we need to rethink about what is causing the problem and how we can identify these people… Than we can have them seek help without retrobution from you and I.
We have to be realistic about all of this and I am not saying that this is right… It did not start with the “Internet” as many would like to think… it has been going on like this since humans began walking on this planet.
There is a cruise ship going out now where the women who call themselves “Cougers”... they are in their 40s and 50s. The male passengers are in their 20s. They are called “Cubs”. The cruise is all about the “Cougers” meeting the “Cubs”. I guess you do not have a problem with the age difference. Most women would say NO and if it was the other way around… Men would say NO as well. So I go back to my point… many have their brains in their pants and/or panties.
JohnBottom
That is the worst part of it-even though he thought he was talking to a 13 yr old (but wasn’t)-he did not think anyone would catch him. I think predtors think the show about monitoring the internet is not a reality. Maybe worse- they do not care because they are so wrapped up in the possibility of actually meeting her. That in itself shows danger.
Thanks MrCobray and I agree with you in that there is a double standard when it comes to gender in cases like this. It’s a double standard because men and women are very, very different, plain and simple! The thought of a 25-45 year old female teacher sexually assaulting a male student is almost laughable. Most of the cases where female teachers are busted come about because the student’s parents find out or someone else rats on them; it’s almost never a male student who complains he was raped by a female teacher(someone please find a documented case of this so I can laugh for the next week).
I would also like to point out that I by no means am saying that a convicted rapist should get a slap on the wrist and therapy for a first time offense—he or she should definitely serve time in prison. I do think that there should be a distinction between someone like this guy who technically solicited sex from an undercover cop, NOT a 13 year old girl, and someone who actually does solicit sex from a minor.
Tamantha, I see your point of view, but you have to agree that anyone who is mentally stable realizes that there is a fairly good chance of getting caught anytime you send a picture of your penis to someone claiming to be a 13 year old girl on the internet. 5-10 years ago I would agree with you, but in today’s world of Big Brother looking over your shoulder, you’re begging to get arrested if you do something like this.
MrCobray
I know it seems like a double standard- maybe it is- however whether it be a female or male predator- they would be guilty. An older male- whether 19 or older- has a lot more in mind a lot of times than a 13 yr old girl. If she is flattered or interested they are still not on the same level. The most important being- they are underage. If a 13 yr old girl meets this older man- and she does not do what he expects- what happens? Rape and then he is afraid she will tell- she could disappear-happens all the time. If a woman was the predator- is she going to rape and murder the boy- not likely. Pregnancy, etc-and maybe he tells his friends- anything could happen.
JohnBottom
I agree with you that these guys aren’t thinking. Therapy might help- but I tend to think that they think they can get away with it and not get caught. I believe they know what they are doing and who they can take advantage of- so that is what they try to do.
I would agree with you totally JohnBottom. I know we think of these people as being “Sick”... and rightfully so. Putting them behind bars… is that the correct answer for a First Offender?
They have to come back out and be productive citizens and how is this done when you are already stigmatized with a label. So in the end we have these people repeating theirselves back into the system as a repeat offender… more additional cost to us all.
They need to find a way to help these people so they will become productive citizens to the community. AND if they screw up after this, than I would recommend life in jail.
When I watched the show on NBC called Preditor and they caught all of those people who sent out photos of themselves…. I felt that this was “Entrapment”. Instead of parading them on TV and putting them behind bars… they should have been made to see someone who specializes in this kind of sexual behavior.
We all know how many people DO NOT think because their brains are below in their underwear and/or panties.
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