Let's see one of you top this next time you come down to testify in front of the legislature ...


The Dot-Com cop

'Excuse me, I have to go make an arrest'

Cincinnati Enquirer
November 1, 2007

COLUMBUS - Hamilton Township Police Lt. Jeff Braley went to the Statehouse Wednesday to urge senators to be tougher on online sexual predators.

He made his point when he left the committee hearing abruptly to help arrest a New Albany attorney who'd allegedly arranged online to meet Braley at the Statehouse cafeteria for a sexual encounter.

Barry Mentser, a 48-year-old married father of three boys, was charged with attempted unlawful sexual contact with a minor in Franklin County. Mentser, who once handled children's services cases, will be charged with importuning in Warren County, Braley said. Both charges are low-level felonies with no mandatory jail time.

"It makes a point to the level these guys will go to meet that juvenile," Braley said after the arrest. "When you go to a Statehouse, where there is Ohio State Highway Patrol patrolling in the area, to meet this juvenile, it just shows the drive that these guys have to meet these kids."

Braley, who has arrested 35 online predators by posing as a young girl since 2005, said he has been talking to the attorney for about a year in chat rooms.

This time, Braley said, he portrayed a 14-year-old girl.

The attorney thought he was going to lure the girl away from a school field trip at the Statehouse. They were supposed to meet outside the cafeteria, then go off and have sex, Braley said.

Mentser was an assistant Franklin County prosecutor handling children services cases and an assistant Pickaway County prosecutor before going into private practice in 1990.

Braley had traveled to the state capital Wednesday with Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel to testify before the Senate Criminal Justice Committee in favor of proposed legislation that would require a six-month jail sentence for anyone trying to solicit sex from teenagers online.

An Enquirer investigation this summer showed that online sexual predators often get little or no jail time. State Sen. Tim Schaffer proposed stronger penalties in SB 183 in reaction to The Enquirer's report.

Braley told the senators he has seen several predators back in chat rooms soon after their arrest, even boldly using their same screen name.

"What we now so desperately want to see is progress in the penalty phase of these cases," Braley said. "These individuals have proven to me that this activity will not cease under current conditions."

Now that is a well choreographed arrest. I bet they change the Ohio law.

Having sat through many committee meetings in a couple of legislative sessions, I believe there is no shortage of arrests that could be made in committee rooms for public intoxication, posession of marijuana, UCW, first degree crazy, and capital stupid. The legislative process atracts many wacky people.

Online solicitation was not one I thought of at the time. Although the fact that the Texas Capitol has wireless internet throughout gives some interesting possibilities. Just think, this pervert could have been lured via text message or chat right into the middle of a hearing on a relevant bill instead of merely the cafeteria . . .

quote:

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Originally posted by JohnR:
Having sat through many committee meetings in a couple of legislative sessions, I believe there is no shortage of arrests that could be made in committee rooms for public intoxication, posession of marijuana, UCW, first degree crazy, and capital stupid.

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Don't you mean "capitol" stupid?

Well, capital stupid while in the capitol, right? I am not talking about those wise persons who are in charge of our republican form of government, but rather that subset of rabble rousers and hellions slinking about among the otherwise fine, upstanding citizens of the State of Texas bearing witness to the legislative process.

Exit only, as A.P. would say.

p.s. I was really hoping he would say that when he testified in our courthouse the other day.

Well John, I might would have if I hadn't have just gotten proved out to be an uneducated carpetbagger. It did strike me sort of funny though, that even though the defense lawyer exposed me as a moron, I was the only one who got to leave the courtroom in time for lunch. He, on the other hand, spent several weeks in the company of a cold-blooded capital murderer --first trying to perpetuate the notion that his client was innocent, and when that didn't work, trying to convince honest folks to give the killer some more chances to live out a life of quietude and docility.

So, for all you Collin County prosecutors and behind-the-scenes working stiffs:

Exit only.