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Xbox Live friendship leads to molestation charge

Santa Rosa man arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old he met through Microsoft's online service.

In the Northern California community of Santa Rosa, police have arrested Ronnie Brendan Watts, 26, on suspicion of "performing a lewd act on a child and sending harmful matter to seduce a minor," reports the online branch of Santa Rosa's The Press Democrat newspaper.

Last fall, the two met through Xbox Live, an online gaming service which lets players play games together while talking to each other in real time, using headsets. Watts and the unnamed boy eventually swapped e-mail information, and moved on to communicating through instant messaging and video conferencing. The two allegedly exchanged explicit videos of each other before they agreed to meet in person at a local park, where the lewd act may have taken place, says The Press Democrat.

Sexual predation is nothing new to the online community. According to a poll conducted by the Polly Klaas Foundation, an organization with the goal to prevent child abduction, approximately 25 percent of 8- to 18-year-olds surveyed have talked about sex with a stranger online.

Watts is currently out on bail pending further investigation.

150 Comments

  • KoruKinshi

    Posted Jan 10, 2006 11:39 am GMT

    The amusing this is that this would be perfectly legal in Utah. o.o

  • codecks

    Posted Jan 9, 2006 7:02 pm GMT

    "When a 14 year old sends pornagraphic meterial to an 26 year old, it's OK." Actually, no it's not. That's called child porn. ; )

  • rclunde

    Posted Jan 9, 2006 11:37 am GMT

    Seriously Messed Up!! But some blame needs to fall on the boys parents. The parents should of been more aware of what their 14 year old was doing.

  • The_Code

    Posted Jan 9, 2006 10:53 am GMT

    Wow sucks to be MS atm cause this will probly come to them sadly.

  • alexsmyth

    Posted Jan 9, 2006 10:53 am GMT

    For all that is good in this world X Box live should Be have means of.
    Stoping these pevs and skining them alive if that means geting the FBI and local police involved so be it !!!!!!!!!!!!

  • neoand12

    Posted Jan 8, 2006 4:04 pm GMT

    that is so nasty!!!!!!!!!

  • Yuubinya

    Posted Jan 8, 2006 3:19 pm GMT

    When a 14 year old sends pornagraphic meterial to an 26 year old, it's OK. But when a 26 year old sends pornagraphic meterial to a 14 year old, it's molestation. Where's the logic? Where's the reasoning? This is just another MISSLEADING piece of media. Nothing new. We haven't heard nothing from the 14 and the 26 year old. And the chances are if they did tell us their stories the media and some people well just use this as away to fuel their bigoted dislike to the behavior.

  • thestickman

    Posted Jan 8, 2006 8:09 pm GMT

    What do they think is gonna happen when they release the webcam for the Xbox 360?? There's gonna be all sorts of nakedness (and I'm not just saying of the male gender) all over Xbox Live then, and there's really nothing they can do about it...

  • jpp67

    Posted Jan 8, 2006 8:09 pm GMT

    holy crap man that messed up

  • ambiotical

    Posted Jan 8, 2006 8:09 pm GMT

    it's not like the man raped him. if they were trading pictures and things of that nature then it's equally the boys fault.

  • greaterjay

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 9:57 pm GMT

    that's rather disturbing. taking advantage of the poor video games like that, despicable

  • codecks

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 5:51 pm GMT

    The 14-year-old is defined as a victim by the law, but in reality he isn't. Did anyone even read the article? The kid's a horney gay bastard! He exchanged naked pics with the adult and agreed to meet him because the adult turned him on! This kid is just as much at fault as the adult!_________"I bet some legislation is being typed up right now to keep minors out of reach of morons like this by keeping them off of on-line services like Live. Maybe they'll only let adults use the microphones or something."___________And how the hell would that be enforced? Idiot. Besides, no one should change anything about Xbox Live just because two morons decided to fu*k each other in more ways than one.__________"Didn't they anticapate this kind of stuff???. Oh yeah, they did, but don't care cause they're makin money n promotin their brand. That kid needs 2 sue MS, so it puts some kinda safeguards in place" - Hellisunreal_________Hey redneck, don't talk. It makes you sound stupid.

  • tensespartan

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 10:28 am GMT

    talk about a bruzer know politics well have another excuse to blam games for more you know they well

  • jrett

    Posted Jan 7, 2006 12:25 am GMT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • SLAYERPSP

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:17 pm GMT

    thats why i dont talk to any one i dont know but a 14 year old boy knows what he is doing the kid is as much to blame as the gay pervert . i knew better at 14 the boy is gay himself if he was sending the guy pics so who is really to blame. if a 14 year old girl was sending you nude pics and your 26 you cant tell me you wouldnt be tempted by it hell in some states 14 is the legal age of consent. if your 14 and you are coned by some pervert to do stuff you dont want its your fault use your head your old enough to know better

  • felix2407

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 7:04 pm GMT

    A perfect example showing why parents need to take an active interest in what their child is doing. I feel bad for the victim and his parents.

  • game_gene314159

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 3:32 pm GMT

    WOW some people these days I mean........WTF?!?!?!?

  • Sinister904

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 2:12 pm GMT

    ewww

  • tomsten

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 12:33 pm GMT

    sick pervert

  • Kravyn81

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 12:07 pm GMT

    How d'you like them apples, Mr. Gates?

  • blazinpuertoroc

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:47 am GMT

    ...heh...

  • DarthLad

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:42 am GMT

    On no! Now all video game haters are going to make a fit.

  • gmcfosho

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:41 am GMT

    hilarious

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 11:00 am GMT

    And as for MS, while they bear no responsiblity, I really hope they begin to more actively monitor and record conversations on Xbox Live, if only so they can help authorities gather evidence. This SOB needs to be locked up in general population ASAP.

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:59 am GMT

    dastuph - I understand what you're saying for the most part. Kids will be kids, no matter what. However, how the hell does the kid not KNOW not to share webcams of himself wanking!? it's beyond inconcievable! I doubt his parents have even taught him anything about sex and why it's so important to be careful in sexual matters. They may not have even given him the "don't talk to strangers" lesson that my parents hammered into my head as a little girl. Hopefully the smarter parents will use this story to teach their children not to post their entire life story on MySpace or tell people their most intimate secrets on Xbox Live.

  • garland51

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:48 am GMT

    Man, that's crazy. Not to mention sick. MS will probably end up being sued over this. If these things like this continues, MS will can X-Box live for good.

  • savage8190

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:19 am GMT

    I know when I was 14 I wouldnt have swapped nuthin with some dude...nevermind "explicit videos" and "lewd acts"
    some kids are just clueless, and I'm sure they have their parents to thank for that

  • Playerpat0

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:19 am GMT

    No. no one should be sued. The system is fine. If you are dumb enough to meet someone off of the internet, then you kind of deserve what you get. Instead of pointing fingers at Microsoft the fingers should be pointed at the parents of this 14 year old.

  • Hellisunreal

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 10:07 am GMT

    Didn't they anticapate this kind of stuff???. Oh yeah, they did, but don't care cause they're makin money n promotin their brand. That kid needs 2 sue MS, so it puts some kinda safeguards in place

  • Spenceerz

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 9:45 am GMT

    That's why i only Play PS2 online & Socom =|

  • quocthai

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 9:41 am GMT

    what a stupid 14 year-old

  • megamanxzero35

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 8:59 am GMT

    ^^haha, the dude is a loser, parents should keep better tabs on their son, their fault

  • pyth0n13

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 8:57 am GMT

    hillary clinton's gonna have a field day.

  • sniper_99

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 8:55 am GMT

    man an 8 year old would've been smarter than this dumb 14 year old

  • syx

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 8:44 am GMT

    Microsoft should use this for their xbox commercials.

  • WorBlades

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 8:36 am GMT

    Most of these games are rated M for Mature. I bet some legislation is being typed up right now to keep minors out of reach of morons like this by keeping them off of on-line services like Live. Maybe they'll only let adults use the microphones or something. Not that I'd complain....I can't stand listening to some of these kids insulting anyone and everyone just because they can't be seen. They still SOUND like idiots.

  • Anarky

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 8:33 am GMT

    While it is abhorrent that this happened it is also reprehensible that the article even mentions Xbox Live instead of just saying they met "online". I'm sure the mainstream press and liberal idiots like Jack Thompson and Hillary Clinton will try to blame this man's crimes on videogames.

    While it is always unpopular to blame the victim I also think that the kid is an idiot. What 14-year old doesn't know that he shouldn't send explicit photos of himself to a stranger (or to even TAKE photos or videos of that nature of himself in the first place). Microsoft and Xbox share NO blame, the molester is the criminal and deserves to get the full brunt of the law against him. Though the kid's parents and the child also share some blame for being in the position to allow this to happen.

  • thatguytony

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 8:07 am GMT

    Anyone saying Microsoft is at fault is a moron. This dumb ass kid set himself up for this by exchanging e-mail addresses and sexually explicit video. The kid made a stupid choice and allowed himself to be preyed on by a sexual predator. I'm sorry it happened but it has nothing to do with Microsoft.

  • AA7

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 7:58 am GMT

    Stupid people. They both should have known better than get involved with someone they know nothing about.

  • i_go_poopie

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 7:14 am GMT

    Molest Attack FTW

  • snakes2solid

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 7:06 am GMT

    althought games are not real...there's real life consequences to deal with while enjoying them!!

  • Rax_Quintanilla

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 6:54 am GMT

    You can't sue MS. It's like taking a lawsuit against AT&T because they used their broandband connection to find each other on the net or the local administration for building the park where they met... It's just plain dumb. And parents also have to watch out for their kids!

  • wreslur

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 6:38 am GMT

    -1 parenting FTL

  • blacktwister

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 6:29 am GMT

    OMG...WTF is going on! Internet is serious and thats just sick and sad.

  • dastuph

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 6:20 am GMT

    Once again I see the subject of parents needing to control their kids and all the blame being put on them. I used to jump to that conclusion whenever I saw stories of something stupid that a child had done. I don't do that so much anymore as I've watched my own kids grow up and do some really dumb things.

    I keep a close eye on what my kids are doing. I need to know where they are and what they're doing at any given time. If I checkup on them and they aren't there the **** hits the fan. They all have chores and know whats expected of them behavior-wise and are intimately familar with the consequences of NOT living upto their responsibilities.

    .....BUT.....

    Kids are going to do what they want no matter what you as a parent do. Before anyone starts flaming, let me explain. That doesn't mean you can be their friend first and parent second though. You still have to bust ass to be the best parent you can be and pray to all thats holy that your child is smart enough to learn from mistakes, take the high road, and do whats best for their future. Unfortunately, there are many more negative external forces that have greater influence on kids today then you do as a parent. You can't control what kids see at school........just think back to when you where a kid to all the crap you saw, and times that by 10 today.

    Its alot harder then you think to keep kids on the straight and narrow. I don't have that knee-jerk reaction of blaming the parents anymore. I've done everything in my power to help my kids and I've had my actions validated by counselers, head shrinks, juvenlle authorities, and regular cops but there have still been big mistakes made on their part. Some of which they'll be paying for the rest of their life.

    Look around, you'll see this anywhere you look.

  • Bored1ed

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 5:57 am GMT

    Microsoft should have control? How can you think that? It's the parents! How many time have you played Halo 2 for example online while a 10 year old is calling you racist names and swearing up a storm??? Some parents are idiots (the apple dont fall far from the tree). I have a 6 year old and we play halo 2 every now and again, yet I would never allow him on Live alone. So don't blame a company that offers a good service because idiots use it for the wrong purposes.

  • IgnatiusX

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 5:36 am GMT

    Meh, I've seen this stuff a lot. The whole problem with friendships/relationships through the Internet is everyone believes that they cannot work, at all.

    If this kid's parents were a bit more responsible, he could have met a friend instead of a f-buddy. Ah well, welcome to the Internet. This kid was st00pid, although he agreed to having sex, so... it wasn't like he didn't try to stop it from hapening, he walked to that park, he gave out his information.

    Jesus, I'm 16 years-old, but I'm not that idiotic to not at least control part of the first meeting with someone. At 14, that kid better just be smacked for being such a moron. Although, he agreed to it, so he's been willingly 'harmed'. Put some damn responsibility on a teenager, he should know what is right and wrong.

    Parents should also be a bit more responsible, even though I hate my own parents monitoring me (and they do not, yay ), for idiots like him... he needs to be placed in virtual chains.

    Freaking. Irresponsible. Idiots.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 5:14 am GMT

    that's sick (as in not good).... any molestor or rapist should have their privates cut off.

  • kevmeister95

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 4:39 am GMT

    "parents,...teach your children well". I just wonder why this child felt the need to cultivate a friendship online; and what this child was missing from his relationship with his parents that he thought a stranger could provide?

  • psphandle

    Posted Jan 6, 2006 4:37 am GMT

    no more Halo online for little billy...haha sucks for him

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