Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Facebook Friday: Sex offender busted for surfing at Apple store

Originally published 05/27/2011 on lubbockonline.com

Bob Cuddy of the San Luis Obispo Tribune reports that a known sex offender, Robert Nicholis McGuire was arrested at the San Luis Obispo Apple Store for violating his probation. In a perfect example of going to the wrong place at the right time, Mr. McGuire was recognized by sherrif deputies as he went into the Apple Store. He proceeded to log into Facebook on a display computer. A deputy went to the computer next to McGuire's. According to the SLO Sherrif's department press release:

San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's detectives, including the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) team spotted a known sex offender in downtown San Luis Obispo on Wed afternoon. One of the SAFE team detectives recognized the man from a previous child pornography case. As one detective followed the man, another checked the probation terms of the registered sex offender. They followed the man to the Apple store on Higuera St. where he entered and began to log on to the internet from a display computer. Another detective went to the computer next to the man and logged on to the Megan’s law website. At about the same time the probation term information was received that clearly indicated McGuire was prohibited from using the internet. McGuire had logged on to his Facebook page. McGuire was taken into custody without incident after he left the store. McGuire made a statement to detectives that he thought he was being followed after the man standing next to him logged onto the Megan's Law site. McGuire is being held without bail at the San Luis Obispo County Jail.

Obviously Mr. McGuire is a "mind your own business" kind of guy. Otherwise he would have noticed someone logging onto the California Megan's Law sex offender tracking website on the computer next to him. He would have noticed that it was the private law enforcement version with full info about sex offenders, not the limited info public version. He probably would have not opened a web browser or closed it if it was open. But he didn't notice, and he did open a web browser and log onto Facebook, and now one more predator is off the streets thanks to his own stupidity.

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