[robertpaulsen]

"Arranging to have sex with someone you think is underage is a crime, even if no child is involved at all."

Yep. Just so we're clear as to what the crime really was and that no actual child was harmed in any way.

Now, given that, what should be the penalty? Life in prison (because we know these guys can't be rehabilitated)? Perhaps their face on national TV, a couple of years in state prison, then branded for life as a sexual predator?

For thinking someone was a minor?

[Ironfocus]

Go read the Texas law, it states exactly what level crime it is (3rd degree felony):
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/79R/billtext/pdf/HB02228F.pdf

And just to make it clear, you want to wait until a child is raped or killed before you do anything? You have said multiple times here that “no child was harmed”, so that implies that for you, it is not actually wrong until a child is harmed. You don’t perhaps think that prevention is the better option?

[BearCub]

Now, given that, what should be the penalty? Life in prison (because we know these guys can't be rehabilitated)? Perhaps their face on national TV, a couple of years in state prison, then branded for life as a sexual predator? For thinking someone was a minor?

In stings like this they typically get a year or two in jail or on probation & registered as a sex offender.

My problem with it is that the real danger is pedophiles and that's not what they're catching here. Someone who is interested in a 15 year old girl isn't a pedophile - he's just messed up in the head. Go after the guys who are chasing 9 year old girls. They're the really scary ones.