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Arrest wasn't first time police had eye on (sexual predator) Ritter
Albany Times Union Newspaper

Posted on 01/21/2003 6:57:20 AM PST by 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."


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: burgerking; heybaby; internetpredator; itsjustsex; letschatnow; ritter; saddamscabinboy; scottritter; sex; sexchats; traitor; trenchcoattraitor; underage; uninspector; whatruwearing; yobabyyobabyyo
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Comment #21 Removed by Moderator

To: 1Old Pro
Perhaps they are paying him with little girls when he visits.

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

22 posted on 01/21/2003 7:17:43 AM PST by templar
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To: RippleFire; Miss Marple; Howlin
LOL!

fyi Miss Marple

23 posted on 01/21/2003 7:18:04 AM PST by Dog (I am boycotting everything French.......French Fries, French Bread and French Toast!)
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To: 1Old Pro
Has someone put together a little timeline reflecting Ritter's changing opinion of Iraz and this arrest? Is this a smoking gun?
24 posted on 01/21/2003 7:20:14 AM PST by Registered (Be a Star, donate to FR.)
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To: SeeRushToldU_So
My thoughts exactly. I was thinking maybe he got caught over in "totalitarian paradise" with his hand in the proverbial pedophylic cookie jar and some enterprising Iraqi intelligence guys got pics...
25 posted on 01/21/2003 7:21:42 AM PST by Axenolith (I have already previewed or do not wish to preview this composition.)
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To: Badabing Badaboom
Statutory Rape..

NY Laws..

26 posted on 01/21/2003 7:21:55 AM PST by Dog (I am boycotting everything French.......French Fries, French Bread and French Toast!)
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To: Dog
Do we know if Ritter has daughters or sons and what their ages are? Maybe his wife will come forward and tell us the truth about this pervert.
27 posted on 01/21/2003 7:23:41 AM PST by Quilla (What, no escargot?)
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To: templar
Somethng I have always suspected might be true about a substantial number of our elected officials.

You wonder why so many people in sensitive positions seem to be such sleazy types.

Could it be because they are targets of concerted efforts to compromise them? Could it be because some agents are plying them with all sorts of forbidden temptations, in order to gradually get them into a position where they are completely blackmail-able?

I know that if I ran a foreign intelligence agency, that is exactly how I would do it. Start your subject out with harmless, conventional temptations, sexual or otherwise, then gradually introduce more and more unacceptable or illegal things, until eventually the subject finds himself completely outside the law and acceptable society.

Then you own him.

28 posted on 01/21/2003 7:24:18 AM PST by gridlock (Blocking the box since 1999)
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To: per loin
Yeah, I noticed that, too. I wonder why Drudge hasn't featured the story?
29 posted on 01/21/2003 7:24:31 AM PST by Sloopy
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To: templar
of course they do. their prophet had himself a little ole 9 year old.
30 posted on 01/21/2003 7:25:04 AM PST by OperationFreedom
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To: gridlock
How is this public record??????

Someone went to a whole lot of trouble to seal this.....an Asst DA just lost her job over this case...

This is prime blackmail material..

31 posted on 01/21/2003 7:26:16 AM PST by Dog (I am boycotting everything French.......French Fries, French Bread and French Toast!)
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To: Sloopy
I emailed him yesterday, but no response. But he is carrying an important story on some broad having breast cancer. Didn't recognize her name.
32 posted on 01/21/2003 7:27:38 AM PST by per loin
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To: Sloopy
Its on Drudge Site now
33 posted on 01/21/2003 7:36:14 AM PST by woofie
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To: per loin; All
BTW, Drudge finally picked up this story.
34 posted on 01/21/2003 7:37:24 AM PST by Quilla
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To: Registered
Is this a smoking gun?

LOL, Scott Ritter claims no smoking gun, except the one in his pants.

35 posted on 01/21/2003 7:38:33 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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Comment #36 Removed by Moderator

To: gridlock
Start your subject out with harmless, conventional temptations, sexual or otherwise, then gradually introduce more and more unacceptable or illegal things, until eventually the subject finds himself completely outside the law

Except that Ritter was NOT entraped. He used his very own PC to satisfy his sick need for deviant sexual acts with children. Only Scotty Boy is to blame.

37 posted on 01/21/2003 7:40:10 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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To: Sloopy
Wonder if Drudge has a lot more on Ritter and is going to break the "BIG" story! Have a hunch this is the tip of the iceberg and the clinton "Blame America" crowd probably know as much about Ritter is anyone. Maybe the Iraqi's were not the only ones with the info on Ritter!

No one would go on TV time after time with this in his background unless he thought it was all taken care of (clinton MO) or he was instructed to do a 180 and go on TV.

Who benefits from his flip-flop on Iraq? Iraq for one but also the clinton "Blame America" crowd. The clintons cannot have us going into Iraq to take out Sadaam, experience few casualties, and topple the regime because then Pres Bush's popularity would soar and that is the last thing they want.

38 posted on 01/21/2003 7:40:11 AM PST by PhiKapMom (Bush/Cheney 2004)
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Comment #39 Removed by Moderator

To: seamole
Drudge could kill off Ritter's career with one little headline. Perhaps he has moral qualms about doing so.

Drudge should link to this Times Union story, it's the latest and more informative than his link. He should also bring up the fact that WYNT has VIDEOTAPE of the arrest and refuses to release it.

40 posted on 01/21/2003 7:42:04 AM PST by 1Old Pro
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