08 March 2006 Blog Home : March 2006 : Permalink
FONTANA, Calif. - Prosecutors filed attempted child molestation charges Tuesday against a man who allegedly sought sex from two fictional 15-year-old girls created by Internet pranksters.
Michael Ramos, 48, was charged with one felony count of attempting to commit a lewd act on a 15-year-old and two misdemeanor counts of attempted child molestation, said Karen Martinez, a San Bernardino County deputy district attorney.
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"The child is fictional" but the crime is real, she said, noting that similar charges have been filed against suspects when police pose online as children to catch pedophiles.
To face charges, a person must "take a step toward completing that crime ... such as appearing in the place that was arranged upon," she said. "It's not just talking about it, thinking about it, wishing about it."
Ramos was arrested Sunday at a park after he allegedly arranged a tryst through a Web site, police Sgt. William Megenney said.
But "Jessica" - the teen he thought he was meeting - was actually created by five boys as a prank to cheer up a buddy who had just broken up with his girlfriend, Megenney said.
Congratulations to the kids for realizing what they were seeing and nailing the perv.