Arrest wasn't first time police had eye on (sexual predator) Ritter

Albany Times Union Newspaper

[1Old Pro]

http://www.timesunion.com/aspstories/storyprint.asp?storyID=95483

Arrest wasn't first time police had eye on Ritter

Former U.N. arms inspector reportedly was under inquiry when cops charged him in 2001

By MIKE GOODWIN, Staff writer
First published: Tuesday, January 21, 2003

Colonie -- The Internet sex case that led to the arrest of a former U.N. weapons inspector was not his first involvement with police on that type of crime, a person familiar with the case said Monday.

Scott Ritter was under investigation for trying to set up a meeting with a girl through the Internet when town police charged him in June 2001 with using an online chat room to set up a similar rendezvous at a Menands restaurant, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Police began investigating the 41-year-old Ritter, who lives in Delmar, in April 2001 after he tried to meet someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl, the source said. Ritter drove to a Colonie business, where he instead was met by police officers, the source said.

Ritter, an outspoken critic of President Bush's plans for war against Iraq, was released without being charged while police investigated.

Two months later, the source said, Ritter was caught in the same type of Internet sex-sting operation after he tried to lure a 16-year-old girl to a Burger King in Menands. The supposed teenager actually was an undercover investigator posing online as a minor as part of the town Police Department's investigation of Internet sex crime, the source said.

Police charged Ritter with attempted endangerment of a child, a Class B misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of 90 days in the county jail.

Assistant District Attorney Cynthia Preiser to have the case adjourned in contemplation of dismissal, which means that charges would be dropped if Ritter stayed out of trouble for a period of time. A Colonie town justice sealed the case after the agreement between the prosecutor and defendant was reached.

Ritter was out of the country on Monday, according to his attorney, Norah Murphy, and his wife.

Ritter declined to be interviewed when asked Monday by e-mail whether he wanted to give his side of the story.

"Thanks for your e-mail," he wrote. "I have no comment on the issue you mentioned."

District Attorney Paul Clyne fired Preiser because she did not inform him about a "sensitive" case in Town Court, but Clyne would not acknowledge that the case involved Ritter.

Clyne's office was heavily criticized three months before Ritter's arrest after another assistant district attorney agreed to drop crack cocaine charges against a renowned Loudonville surgeon, Dr. Darroch Moores. In that case, the assistant district attorney also failed to inform the district attorney.

Moores took a leave of absence from St. Peter's Hospital and was allowed to keep his medical license and continue practicing as part of a probation agreement with the state Board for Professional Medical Conduct.

Defense attorney Michael Koenig said adjournment in contemplation of dismissal was not an unusual outcome for someone charged with a Class B misdemeanor, as Ritter was.

Ritter, a former Marine, led a weapons inspection team in Iraq in the 1990s after the Gulf War. He has gained international attention in recent months as a critic of a new U.S. war with Iraq. He has been interviewed frequently on radio and television shows, consistently downplaying the threat posed by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

Ritter's days as a leading voice of the opposition to war could be over if his arrest receives national media attention, said Robert Thompson, professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University. He said the nature of Ritter's arrest would overwhelm any point he might try to make on a talk show.

"When you're a talking head, your whole reason for being has got to be the image of anything you represent," Thompson said. "If the story starts getting to be a big issue, there will be talking heads making their careers on the end of this talking head."

[Catspaw]

This may explain why Clyne fired the ADA in Ritter's case.

It does. And if the ADA didn't tell him about the case, she's out the door.

Was it the same ADA in the coke case as in Ritter's case or was it a different one.

[ErnBatavia]

This very interesting.I wonder if his handlers were holding this over his head for blackmail purposes? I wonder if this the cause of his 180 degree flip?

Yes indeed; I'd guess you don't just all of a sudden start up with this behavior at age 39 or 40.

[duckln]

I'm sure he was furious that his assistant parked the Ritter capital into her account.

How about the other assistant with a different case getting fired by the same DA. Something fishy when a DA doesn't keep track of his assistants.

[SarahW]

There isn't any "if" about him showing up to meet the 14 year old, or the 16 year old.
The first time he was released, the second time arrested.

There isn't any "if" about him being ordered into sex-offender counseling, and the records being sealed only after he completed it and stayed out of trouble for several months.

What is the "law of the land" you are mentioning, attributin to me? Do you mean why won't I let it go if Ritter met his end of the deal and got his counseling and stayed out of trouble? If that's what you mean, it's because a penchant for illegal sex with minors, to the point of showing up to meet them, reflects upon his mental status (he has a personality disorder), his credibility in general and in the specific, and makes him a blackmail target.

About the DA - on the face of it, she had a pattern and practice of keeping her boss in the dark about deals worked out for sensitive cases.

She was fired b/c of the ritter case, but had gotten in trouble for keeping the boss in the dark about a prominent physician who had been busted for crack possession. He worked out a similar deal and was allowed to continue the practice of medicine, with his license under probation. The Boss ended up taking some heat for the disposition of that case, and then, "here she goes again" with the Ritter case. She was probably under orders to keep the boss informed of cases that could get publicity.

[SerpentDove]

It makes me sick that our so-called "leaders" are this immoral.

If this is indicative of the "wisdom" of our leaders, we are sunk.

It makes my heart heavy.

[zeaal]

What if he practiced his unusual 'interests' while in Iraq working on his book/film deal which fetched him $400K and was found out by the Iraqis at the time. The Iraqis then offered him silence in return for his service. When the Bush Iraq Policy began to formulate the Iraqis called him into service and insisted he go full tilt with the anti Bush commentary. Iraqi blackmail? I dunno. His behavior has been most bizarre and very hard to explain, especially in light of his testimony at Congressional Hearings and in the media prior to his flipping.

[duckln]

IMO, its' all 'ifs', if it's sealed and then later expunged. Legally you are not intitled to the details. If this is the law, it should also apply to Ritter.

What you are doing is presiding over a 'kangaroo' court on the net. Sorry, but I also don't buy all the accusations as presented on this tread.

[rolling_stone]

How is a DA supposed to keep up with all his ADA's cases unless he is informed by them?

As for Ritter being innocent until proven guilty, I normally would be on that bandwagon, but in this case it looks like he got special treatment, caught once and released caught again and given a sweetheart deal for adjudication and sealing of records. Do you think this was the first or last time this happened or will happen? Do you think all he was going to do was spank his monkey? Was he going to do it in the BK parking lot or drive to some remote location? What if the undercover officer was a real girl and she agreed to do more would that have been ok?

IMO he has been caught red handed and I can't wait till the media starts asking him questions. Based on what I have seen of his irrational behavior, he may go ballistic. What a piece of work spouting off at Bush and crying about the rule of law, a typical liberal do as I say not as I do.

[Catspaw]

Do you think Ritter was set up? So do you think it was Ritter who was arrested? If you think Ritter was arrested, do you think his arrest was politically motivated, and if so, who is behind it?

[Nick Danger]

Its on Drudge Site now

"He's dead, Jim." That's 5 million people who will see it by tomorrow. There's no point in the media trying to spike it anymore; it's over. Scott Ritter becomes the Pee Wee Herman of the Peace Movement. R.I.P.

[Route66]

'Iraqi blackmail? I dunno. His behavior has been most bizarre and very hard to explain, especially in light of his testimony at Congressional Hearings and in the media prior to his flipping.'
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Well many people have bee saying the Iraqis has to have something on this guy for a long time now. It might also help to explain why every time it looks like we are getting really close to pulling the trigger on Saddam, Ritter goes into overdrive in his anti-war campaign and totally loses it.

When the Iraq weapons declaration report came out he had that deer in the headlights look in his interviews. There was no mistaking a look of actual fear on his face and at the time I really wondered what could cause that kind of reaction in him. Lately he is having trouble containing his temper to get through a lot of interviews but he plods on like a mad man.

It's seems clear that someone will not ALLOW him to stop playing this little game and he is not having a good time. He has obviously dug himself a pretty deep hole and the sides are caving in.

[SarahW]

It's sealed, but not expunged.

Since there is proof of the arrest and the nature of the offence, and its disposition in the courts, and he is a public figure whose credibility has an impact on world events, I can't in good conscience ignore it.

It matters.

I'm not sure what "accusations" you are referring to. But the fact remains that kind of activity is inseperable from character, mental status, and does make him a target for blackmail.

It's possible but unlikely he was "new" to that kind of activity...but it shows remarkably poor judgement. Especially persisting in the activity after having been met by cops when he went to meet the fourteen year old.
He was so obsessed with his internet predation that he lost sight of the risks to himself!

[Nick Danger]

What if he practiced his unusual 'interests' while in Iraq working on his book/film deal which fetched him $400K and was found out by the Iraqis at the time.

I doubt that one, because he could have said he was set up, the Iraqis faked the photos, etc., and most people would have believed him.

My money is on an earlier incident, probably also sealed by a court, that fits the timeline. It's probably right here in the U.S.A.

[gridlock]

What you are doing is presiding over a 'kangaroo' court on the net. Sorry, but I also don't buy all the accusations as presented on this tread.

So the next time you see Scott Ritter on the TV doing his "Iraq was a wall-to-wall arsenal of WMD's until 1998, but since then they have all spontaneously evaporated" routine, will you grant him just as much credibility as before this story came out?

[woofie]

The pics on Drudge site now are funny...You get the bear sticking out his tongue at the Ritter and ignoring Captain Hook on the other side

[duckln]

Sorry, but it smacks of the Coke can and Clarence Thomas, XXX videos and Bork, campaign workers and Gingrich.

When you can't beat the man's arguments, attack his character. Find a fault, or invent one and run with it. Let the accused defend the negative, it works every time, even on FR.

[Claire Voyant]

If you're boycotting all things French, French Fries, French, Bread, French Toast....don't you have to boycott White Flags also??

[arm958]

What a disgrace to the uniform he wore and the Constitution he swore to defend.

I imagine there are a lot of current and former Marines who would love to get a crack at him. He no longer deserves the title "Former Marine".

[arm958]

Perhaps they are paying him with little girls when he visits.

I thought muslims didn't do that sort of thing.

Me too; I thought they were into little boys.

[SarahW]

No it doesn't. Your examples are anecdotes.

Ritter's arrest and mugshot were on TV the day of the arrest. There's a public record. It wasn't "invented", it exists.

Plus, his attorney confirmed her client, "the" William Scott Ritter" was indeed arrested.

Another source, confirms he was caught but let go for the other offense.

His arguments re: Iraq rely on his credibility, his judgement, his understanding. He is lacking in all three categories. You cannot separate this man from his message.

His vulnerability to blackmail can't be overlooked, nor a personality disorder that has rationalization and denial as primary features.

Scott Ritter at first claimed this matter was a case of mistaken identity. He lied. He was arrested. He was arrested because he tried to arrange a meeting for sex with an underage girl. How do we know this? Because a cop pretended to be a sixteen year-old girl. That's why the cops knew to be at the Burger King to arrest him!

Any attempt to say it doesn't matter, that it doesn't reflect on Scott Ritter's character, is deluded.

And his character is relevent.