If the communication between your child and the suspect is strictly via the Internet or through a cell phone then it is easier to control then if the subject is a teacher or otherwise close to the victim on a daily basis. Depending how the relationship was discovered usually will give you an idea of how to control or stop the relationship. Many times an unsuspecting parent stumbles upon sexually graphic writings or photos. In this case it is probably safe to assume you have discovered the relationship rather late, or depending how you look at it, just in time.

In a case like I just described, I would instruct the parent(s) to install monitoring software on their computers and closely monitor any activity. A problem we encounter in law enforcement is the subject of jurisdiction. Basically, and to be brief, the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over where the suspect lives usually, depending what occurred, has the responsibility of charging the crime in their area. You can see the complexity of having two subjects communicate over the Internet, engage in illegal, minor verses adult, behavior and then try and sort out who did what and what agency will handle the prosecution.

Not really a big deal if they live in the same city or county, however, if the behavior crosses across the country it changes the playing field. Again describing the above incident, hypothetically the victim in the case is a teenage girl and the suspect is a forty to fifty year old male. The teen in these cases more often than not will profess their love for the suspect. Many times the teen will lie or go to great lengths to keep the relationship a secret from their parents. This is the hardest type of case to resolve, as you generally have a teenage girl that has spent many hours communicating with the subject and he has totally ingrained himself into her life. She will often times, at the early stages of the investigation, lie or hide the truth.

And again more to follow!

Inv. Jeff Brown