An ex-cop from West Virginia will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life after sending an x-rated photo to a teenage boy who lied about his age on Grindr.
44-year-old Thomas W. Carroll is a former deputy from the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department in West Virginia. In December 2016, he was busted for sexting with a 15-year-old.
At the time, Carroll was working as a school-resource officer at Musselman High School in Inwood, West Virginia; the 15-year-old was a student at the school.
According to court documents, Carroll encouraged the teen “to continue to telephonically communicate inappropriately with the defendant.” This included sending sexy messages and an explicit photo.
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Carroll testified that he was a longtime Grindr user and that he kept two separate profiles which allowed him “to escape and be someone else.”
The Herald Mail reports:
The 15-year-old boy testified that that the defendant initiated contact with him Dec. 7, 2016, on Grindr, and subsequently sent him a sexually explicit image from a faceless account.
The boy admitted that he ignored the app’s requirements that he be at least 18 years old to use it, and lied about his age to create a Grindr account.
During the conversation with Carroll on the social-media app, the boy testified that the defendant hinted at his identity before eventually identifying himself as an officer who worked at his school, court records said.
Carroll, who has been under house arrest for nearly two years, originally had his plea hearing scheduled for November 13, but this week, he reached a deal with prosecutors.
The 44-year-old has agreed to plead guilty to one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Instead of going to jail, he will be credited with time served, but he will have to register as a sex offender for life. In exchange, prosecutors are dropping single felony counts of distributing obscene matter to a minor and use of obscene matter with intent to seduce a minor.
Prosecuting Attorney Catie Wilkes Delligatti said the agreement was reached after her office consulted with the teen.
“As the case developed, we decided to proceed by information (charging Carroll with the misdemeanor last month) after consultation with the victim to ensure a conviction and lifetime (sex offender) registration, keeping the safety of the community in mind,” she said.
Vince
I’m all about prosecuting guys who chase after the underage but this case is BS.
If he had met him though I’d have a different opinion. I mean there’s just no way you know who’s on the other side unless they tell you the truth.
tham
I have a hard time with these type of cases. I kind of log it in the same category when a 16 year old get charged with child prono when he texts a pic of his own junk to someone.
It’s about intent.
If the kid lied, the cop never met him and he, for the most part, thought he was of legal age. I don’t see a crime happening here.
Paco
“During the conversation with Carroll on the social-media app, the boy testified that the defendant hinted at his identity before eventually identifying himself as an officer who worked at his school, court records said.”
He was a resource officer at the boy’s high school and told the boy this during their communication. The boy shouldn’t have been on Grindr, but the creep cop allowed his c*ck to overrule his better judgement. He even encouraged the boy to continue the inappropriate communication.
If you know they are still in high school, that should be a big enough red flag to avoid. Idiots.
Vince
There you go. I didn’t know that. Well f#ck this guy. I have no sympathy for those that want to hook up with kids.
I see guys on Grindr all the time that make me question their age that I always pass up. Is always the adults responsibility.
rray63
So the high school student, who is not a child got his fantasy fulfilled and the ex-cop is a sex offender for life. Or if the student claims he was emotionally damaged in some way then it was because of his own setup of someone else. Either way the student is not the most reliable of witnesses. The DA is just looking for another notch in her belt for when she finally makes a bid for State Attorney General and the police were doing the same, notching their belts for promotions etc. If a student is over 15 or 16, they well know what they are doing. Is it right to want someone that young, no. Does it happen, yes. Should someone who is knowingly setup in this fashion be criminalized for the rest of their life, no. Thorny situation. The teen student should be punished as well.
boymikefl
I know nothing about Grindr but I thought I read that you have to be 18 to be on the site and the kid had to agree that he was over 18. I don’t get why the adult was at fault. The adult figured everyone is over 18. I would think the cops would have to prove maybe off the site the adult knew he was underage. You can’t tell a person’s age by looking at them unless you work at a carnaval.
Vince
Funny how this is not a problem for most of us. It’s just those that chase the barely legals that are always getting in trouble.
DHT
One less predator in the gay community…one million more to go.
dannysax
This case and the conviction was BS and totally unfair. Yes, he knew the guy was a student, but he could have been a senior who was 18yo. it sucks when the system allows kids to lie and ruin guys’ lives when they go into it under false pretenses. I hope the little shit gets the karma he deserves and feels guilty about this for a long time to come!
Brian
All of the news coverage has been ridiculously serpentine. When did he know the child was a student, and when did he send the photo? What is the order of events? Speaking of high school, why can’t we get writers who completed it?
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
If I have the slightest bit of doubt about the age of a guy on a hook up App, I tell him he gots 60 seconds to post a photo of some kind of ID showing his photo and DOB, address can be blocked. If don’t get it or I get some crap about his “camera isn’t working” it’s immediate block city..
.I find the younger guys are the most aggressive in seeking an immediate hook up. The old saying 16 will get ya 25 is instance…is incredibly relevant…