Lassen County sex predator sentenced

I don't like these sting opperations. People get arrested for something they didn't even actually do or commit (in this case against a FAKE underage person), instead they're being arrested for something they MIGHT have done or MIGHT do in the future. This is bordering dangerously close on thought crimes (being punished for what you think).

I'm sure some reading this are thinking, "well it gets one scum off the street before he/she hurts someone". And some of you don't see the big deal about being arrested for thought crimes. Well, think of it this way... how many times have each of us law abiding people for example had violent thoughts about another person (wishing you could slap them silly, slug them, beat them, etc. for the despicable thing they did to you or another person)? You and most of us would be arrested at various points because of this, because we thought of doing something illegal... because we "might actually do it/carry it out".

So does anyone else agree with me about the dangers of arresting people for what they "might" have done and thought crimes?

What if these "sex predator", prostitution and drug stings/set ups didn't occur? The person they caught might never commit a crime at all. What if this individual realizes they have an issue or problem and are actively struggling to maintain it and have so far managed to keep it under control. The fact that they were then strongly tempted by the police is the very thing that tipped them over the edge, caused them to do something they maybe wouldn't have done otherwise.

Steve, I couldn't disagree with you more!

I like the sting operations! Since I would never be drawn into one, I cannot relate with what you are saying.
You contradict yourself. If someone has a problem and is managing to keep it under control, as you say, then he or she would never show up at a sting operation.
If a person is so weak as to be tempted, have time to think about what they are doing, then actually show up, then they are dangerous. It has been planned, premeditated, and the person has calculated the risks and decided to take them.
Maybe you don't realize, intentions carry weight in our court system (think: intent to kill, attempted murder). This is an intent to molest, and showing up is the first step in an attempted molestation.
Since you are fond of making up scenarios and "what if" stories, here is one for you.
Should a person who hires a hit man (who is actually an undercover police officer) to pull off a murder be charged? Nod your head "yes" because how can someone even think of hiring a hit man unless they have murder on their mind?
Likewise, how can a person show up to a sting operation unless that person is planning to molest? And molestors are even more random because they are not targeting any one specific person, but any child who is available. If a man can be drawn in by a sting operation, after he has had time to plan, then how safe are the children in his family, or the children next door, who don't require as much planning, who are available to him?

It's sick. Those without this problem will agree with me.

I don't like sting operations. I think they draw cops into a lifestyle that makes them Part Of the Problem. I am afraid our tiny community has these sorts of things going on and they are not good,they take too many YEARS for them to do, and the cops or narcs or what have you, continue to be a problem to the coommunity and it never gets solved. We are living that here in Herlong. We only have 800 people here. And a few are stealing everyone else blind and the sheriffs are being given names and it does not see resolution. These same trouble makers continue to steal, to harrass, to shoot into properties at random, to be caught on video stealing and the sheriffs do nothing. What could this mean? In fact, the sheriffs seem to take great pains to harrass the innocent while ignoring the guilty.

My 75 year old Mother has been harrassed for years by her drug dealing neighbors in Thermalito (Oroville)CA. You can hear their drug deals go down on the scanner, you know if my mom's hand held scanner can pick it up, the cop's can. And she complains because of the kids (of the druggers) stealing her stuff and the neighbors breaking her windshield. And the cops call her a "kookie old woman'. And she writes the DEA and the DEA comes to her house and tells her she can help by wearing a wire and attempting to make a drug deal with these very neighbors who harrass her so much. Think they'll fall for it? My 5'1" 75 year old mother! What is wrong with these cops? Are they insane?