MySpace rats on Oregon sex offenders
07:41 AM PDT on Friday, May 25, 2007
Myspace, the Internet social networking site, has given Oregon investigators the names of 19 people who are registered sex offenders and using the site.
Its unclear whether any of them have broken the law, but the information will be sent to parole and probation officers.
In early May, Myspace began checking user profiles against lists of registered sex offenders across the country.
The site found and removed 7,000 profiles, 19 in Oregon.
Investigators with the Oregon Department of Justice are reviewing information on the 19---then forwarding their names to local parole and probation officers for possible action.
State investigators are pleased with the company’s action.
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“I was just in contact with Myspace today, saying you know, what can we do to help?” said Bill Carroll, Chief Criminal Investigator for the Oregon Department of Justice.
“If you’re not getting the help that you want you call us and we’ll pave the road for ya,” he said.
Kerrie Behrman is a Parole and Probation officer for Multnomah County.
She recently hunted down some of the sex offenders she supervises on Myspace.
She said the site is irresistible for sex offenders.
“Its open season,” she said. “Its like a kid in a candy store.”
Behrman has helped co workers navigate Myspace searching for offenders.
She recently convinced a judge to throw a sex offender Dustin Miller in prison---after he secretly set up a Myspace account and was “friends” with at least one 14 year old on the site.
Miller was on probation for 10 years after being convicted in 2003 of second degree rape for having sex with a 13 year old girl.
May 9th, after hearing from Behrman, the judge sentenced Miller to 18 months in prison.
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