Texas Attorney General, GCSO cracking down on Internet sexual predators Save Email Print
Posted: 6:24 PM Oct 15, 2008
Last Updated: 6:24 PM Oct 15, 2008
Reporter: Rashi Vats
Email Address: rashi.vats@kxii.com

A | A | A

GRAYSON COUNTY, Tex. -- It's a horrifying scenario for parents ––your child solicited online by a sexual predator. But now the Texas Attorney General is working to put a stop to such crimes. Rashi Vats reports.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott recently proposed tightening restrictions on sex offenders' Internet usage, something that met with support from local investigators because they are seeing more and more cases of Internet solicitation than ever before.

According to the National Sex Offender Registry, one in five American teenagers who regularly log onto the Internet has received an unwanted sexual solicitation through the web.

Grayson County Sheriff's investigators say many of the more than 203 registered sex offenders in Grayson County have used the Internet to find their victims.

"In today's world, the Internet is the main source to attract the children because they can get in there and pose as another child or another friend or a counselor willing to help a child," Sgt. Rickey Wheeler of the Grayson County Sheriff's Office says.

One of the latest offenders to be caught was 34-year-old Clarence Augustine of Dallas. Augustine was arrested last Thursday for failing to register as a sex offender. His offense was committed through the Internet website, MySpace.

The increasing use of the Internet for sexual offenses has lead Attorney General Greg Abbott to call for stricter monitoring of sex offenders.

Abbott's proposal recommends that offenders be forced to register their online identities and cell phone numbers, and even prohibits Internet use for some convicted offenders.

Whether or not these laws will be adopted will be up to the State Legislature.

Wheeler says there are some simple things you can do to keep your kids safe.

"If you have a child, know what they do on the computer. Check their computer. There is all kinds of software out there now that will send you emails and messages of the sites your child is going on."

Wheeler says stricter laws monitoring sex offenders would help decrease assaults, but until they are passed deputies will do their best to investigate any reported cases.

"If it's more than one, it's more than we would like here."

We will continue to follow the Attorney General's proposal as it heads to the Legislature.

More Stories
Bank links over 400 identity theft cases to Gainesville restaurant

Sherman revises budget after losing lawsuit

Ada hospital receives anonymous $1 million donation

Safe Family: Baby formula warning

Most Texoma counties under burn bans

Sherman school board meets to discuss budget cuts

Man charged with DUI, manslaughter in Ada wreck that killed Okla. woman

International dignitaries visit Ardmore’s Noble Foundation

Post Your Comments
First Name:
Location:
Enter Comments: characters left
Email (optional):
Email will not be displayed on site. For station contact purpose only.
Read Comments
Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.
Posted by: manfred on Oct 21, 2008 at 03:47 PM
If you are going to allow your children access to a computer you need to protect them from 'people' like this. My wife and I installed a program called Spector Pro that lets us see everything they are doing on the Internet. It has been both an eye opener and a life saver. You can see it at www.spectorsoft.com

Posted by: loco Location: texas on Oct 19, 2008 at 09:45 PM
does this effect the one that r done with there sentence? and does this violate them as a second punishment?

Posted by: OOTO Location: Texoma on Oct 17, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Anonymous on Oct 15, 2008 at 09:36 PM, you told me that you were 19. Sheesh...guess I will have to start checking ID's from now on.

Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 16, 2008 at 11:52 AM
Appears to be a good idea. But, honestly, HOW are they going to prohibit or moniter an offender on the internet? He/She could just go to a friend's house and hop online under an AKA. There are many senarios that could play out here. Doesn't seem feasible to me. It would be great, though. I have teens who would live online if I let them. They think I'm terrible because I check EVERYTHING. Oh well. I'M the parent.

Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 15, 2008 at 09:36 PM
OOTO's in trouble now.................

AP Video on KXII