The News Room [News Archive]
[1-24-2003]
Internet Crime Unit’s 2nd arrest takes down a repeat sexual predator ---
32-year old Howell man had previous conviction, kidnapping
charge
The Wayne County
Internet Crimes Unit, which just last week made its first arrest,
has brought another suspected pedophile into custody according
to Sheriff Warren Evans.
On Friday,
January 24, 32-year old Christopher Hayes of Howell was arrested
outside a Wendy’s restaurant at Michigan and Telegraph
in Dearborn after arranging a meeting with a Sheriff’s
Deputy he thought was a 13-year old girl. The two had been chatting
online for several days prior to the meeting. During that time,
the Hayes made several explicit overtures to the deputy for a
sexual encounter.
After making the arrest, officers learned
the Hayes has a history of criminal sexual conduct [CSC].
"We have
since learned that Mr. Hayes had just completed a probationary
period resulting from a prior second-degree criminal sexual conduct
conviction," Evans said.
When officers
made the arrest, they confiscated some sexual paraphernalia from
the Hayes' customized van.
"He appeared
to be prepared for a sexual encounter," Evans said.
After the arrest,
officers seized computer equipment from Brighton, Michigan home
where Hayes had been living.
Hayes was arraigned
Sunday, January 26th at 36th District Court on charges of communicating
with another over the Internet with intent to commit a crime.
He is being held at the Wayne County Jail on $200,000 cash bond.
If convicted, Hayes could face up to 20 years in prison.
Hayes’ arrest
comes despite extensive media publicity of the Internet Crime
Unit’s recent first arrest just more than a week earlier.
On January 16th, Farmington Hills resident Scott Sellinger, 30,
who also was arrested in Dearborn, was charged with communicating
with another on the Internet with intent to commit a crime.
"From
the law enforcement side, you would think that these sexual predators
would start to back off because of the attention we’ve
received," Evans said. "This is just one more indication
of how determined these people are to exploit young children.
The good news is that we're just as determined to catch
them."
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