New Page 1
October 23, 2009
LANSING
- Attorney General Mike Cox today announced the results of an
undercover Internet child predator sting that lead to the arrest of Pontiac
resident Russell Lee Bennett. Bennett is accused of using the Internet to
solicit minors for sex after making advances in online chats toward who he
thought was a 14-year-old girl and later traveling to a fast food restaurant in
Detroit to meet with that same girl. The thirty-eight year old man was actually
chatting with investigators from the Attorney General's office and the volunteer
organization Perverted Justice.
"This should serve as a continuing warning for parents that
predators are using the web to target our children," said Cox.
Using the screen name "uchi_deshi2000," Bennett engaged in
multiple sexually explicit chats and arranged to meet with undercover agents
posing as a 14-year-old girl. Working together, the Attorney General's office
and Perverted Justice identified the defendant and set-up a sting outside a fast
food restaurant in Detroit. Bennett was willing to travel for sex with a child
despite the distance and lack of personal transportation, riding a bus to travel
between Detroit and Pontiac. During the course of his chats, Bennett claimed to
be a karate instructor.
Bennett is charged with:
- Two counts of using the internet to commit
child sexually abusive activity, a 20 year felony;
- Two counts of using a computer to solicit a
child for immoral purposes, a 10 year felony;
- One count of using a computer / Internet to
disseminate sexually explicit matter to a minor, a four-year felony and/ or
$5,000 fine.
The defendant was arraigned in the 36th
District Court before Judge Sidney Barthwell. Bennett's bond was set at $5,000
and the defendant is scheduled for exam at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 3.
To date, the Attorney General and his Child and Public Protection
Unit have arrested 246 Internet sex predators. An August 2009 sting in
Livingston County yielded nine arrests while 21 predators were arrested during
an October, 2008 sting in Grand Rapids.
Parents are encouraged to check their children's
"buddy lists" for the screen name "uchi_deshi2000." If they believe their child
was approached online by Bennett, or to report other suspected Internet sex
predators, parents should contact the Attorney General's office at (313)
456-0180. Parents and schools may also contact the Attorney General's office
for information on our award-winning educational program, the Michigan Cyber
Safety Initiative (Michigan CSI), which has been taught to more than 400,000
Michigan children.
For more information on how to
protect your child from Internet predators visit www.michigan.gov/csi.
A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is
presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
- 30 -
Printer Friendly
Text Version
Twitter
Facebook
Yahoo
Google
Digg
Newsvine
StumbleUpon
Bookmark
Email Page
Stay Connected
Get Lottery Drawing Information!
Get the Latest News!