Posted on 09/22/2005 2:04:57 PM PDT by Aaron0617
Police: Charges May Be Upgraded
POSTED: 10:11 am CDT September 22, 2005
CHICAGO -- A 28-year-old man was charged with sex offenses against a 14-year-old boy whose body was found naked in Lincoln Park in mid August, police said Thursday.
Shawn Thigpen, of Chicago, was charged late Wednesday with three counts of felony aggravated criminal sexual abuse and was to appear for a bond hearing Thursday, according to police News Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak.
Thigpen is accused of sexually abusing Michael Smith Jr., whose body was found in Lincoln Park Aug. 18, Kubiak said.
Cook County state's attorney's office spokesman Tom Stanton said that the three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse were filed against Thigpen involved Williams and two other unrelated victims.
Stanton said in both the Williams case, which occurred on Aug. 18, and the second case, which occurred in March 2004, the defendant allegedly met his victims on an Internet chat line.
Police matched Thigpen's DNA to the Williams case and two previous cases also involving juveniles, police News Affairs Director Pat Camden said.
Police said Williams was found face down in a park at 2758 N. Lake Shore Dr., wearing only a sock, News Affairs Officer Patrice Harper said in August.
An autopsy determined the boy had been suffocated in a homicide, a Cook County medical examiner's office spokeswoman said.
Kubiak said Thigpen was not charged with murder but charges could be upgraded in the future and referred inquiries to the Cook County state's attorney's office. An official with that office could not be reached Thursday morning.
William's family reported him missing on Aug. 18. His father told NBC5 that he believed his son was lured by somebody on a phone chat line.
Michael Williams Sr. said he believed his son was using the chat lines because his cell phone bill was extremely high. He said his son had never been to that part of the city before, and had no reason to be there, NBC5 reported.
Police didn't say whether the phone chat lines were directly linked to Michael Williams Jr.'s murder, but were looking into his phone records during the course of the investigation.
The younger Williams was a junior deacon at his church and was about to begin the eighth grade at Vernon Johns Community Academy.
Former Sportscaster Gets Probation For Soliciting Minor (over the internet)
Anyway, I wondered how dumb they were to think some teen would go out of their way to meet a grown man they met over the phone chat line or even the internet. Well, you figure a couple or some small number would , but not this many. There at least 2 FR posts of 14/15 girls opening their windows to 28y/o men they met over the internet.
I’m sure everyone remembers Christina Long ~ Dos Reis Enters Plea In Death Of Christina Long
Then there is the story of this boy found in the park, Lincoln Park that is. Maybe not necessary to point out but this is near a gay part of the city. The infamous Halsted street.
Then there is Erin Nola Nembhard.
Don’t know her? She went to meet a guy she met over the internet. Who later took her to meet a registed sex offender. This girl is still missing and it’s been a week.
Port St. Lucie police get arrest warrants for Miami man in missing girl case
My question is has anyone’s state or local govt said anything about this? Are there any plans to do anything? Am I making too much of this or is this simply a matter of parents not watching their children?
"Thigpen has a history of arrest including 11 felonies and six misdemeanors in Cook County. In 2001, Thigpen was convicted on a weapons charge in Jacksonville, Florida. Police said he was on parole at the time of Williams' murder."
Big surprise, huh? I knew before I searched that this guy has a history and I bet some of those felonies involved sex charges.
Oh, and I want to correct some links. These two should work now.
Former Sportscaster Gets Probation For Soliciting Minor (over the internet)
Port St. Lucie police get arrest warrants for Miami man in missing girl case
He just might get the Jeffery Dahnmer sentence.
Maybe the bar of justice.
That would be a bar out of a barbell set.
I believe the 17 yr old girl who recently disappeared in VA went to meet a man (whom she knew and with whom she had supposedly had a "relationship" in the past - when she was how old?) who had been convicted of child abuse.
Kids are dumb and vulnerable. We should be protecting them by putting these guys away. Personally, I think death would be the best option, but throwing away the key would be my second choice. No parole, no nuttin.
One of our sex offenders down here in Florida just cut off his anklet and fled - just before they were going to put him away again. Don't give sex offenders the chance. Just keep them in jail (although I still think death would be better).
This particular pervert looks the part: His whole head looks like a pubic area.
but hey, only 11 felonies....*sigh*
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