Prosecutor charged with lewd acts by using Web camera

Orlando Sentinel ^ | January 22, 2003 | Pamela J. Johnson

[Henrietta]

Prosecutor charged with lewd acts by using Web camera

By Pamela J. Johnson | Sentinel Staff Writer Posted January 22, 2003

A top prosecutor in Palm Beach County was arrested Tuesday after authorities said he stripped and performed lewd acts in front of a Web camera for someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

Assistant State Attorney Ira Karmelin was arrested in West Palm Beach and charged with soliciting sex from a minor via the Internet and transmitting harmful images to a minor, both felonies, Orange County sheriff's Capt. Bernard Presha said.

Karmelin was released on $5,000 bail.

The arrest came after Orlando's WFTV-Channel 9 set up its own sting operation to see how easy it would be to catch someone using a Web cam for illicit purposes, Presha said.

The station had a youthful-looking undercover reporter act as a 13-year-old girl.

Authorities said Karmelin approached the reporter in a chat room, using the screen name Mickeynut24.

"The reporter kept telling Karmelin, 'You know I'm only 13 years old,' " Presha said.

Officials said Karmelin stripped down to a bathrobe and performed lewd acts in front of his Web cam, a tiny camera hooked up to the computer that transfers images of the user, officials said.

Officials at Channel 9 called Orange County deputies after they thought they heard Karmelin on his speakerphone making sexual advances to a child.

Scott Richardson, Karmelin's attorney, said he and his client would not comment.

Karmelin, a top prosecutor in Palm Beach County, has been in the State Attorney's Office for more than 10 years and has said he hopes to become a judge.

Palm Beach County deputies arrested Karmelin after Orange County authorities alerted them. State prosecutors will handle the case.

[Henrietta]

"Karmelin, a top prosecutor in Palm Beach County, has been in the State Attorney's Office for more than 10 years and has said he hopes to become a judge."

Oh, I'm sure this sicko would have made a FINE judge... (sarcasm off)

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[StriperSniper]

First Scott Ritter, now this guy. Is this some new kind of fad, exhibitionism in front of teenies? I guess it's better (far from good) than murdered interns and kidnapped 5 year olds. :(

[gundog]

Too funny...I think it was on "Grounded for Life" that one of the characters always flew for free by pretending, in teen chatrooms, to be a teenage girl named Tiffany that wasn't getting along with her parents. He got to one airport and passes the perv with the little sign that says "Tiffany" and says thanks.

[goodnesswins]

Don't tell me....he's a Democrat.

[rolling_stone]

ROFLMA...

[Grampa Dave]

What political party does this pervert belong to?

Since it was not mentioned by this left wing rag, could he be another Rat just being himself as guaranteed by the constitution as the ACLU will tell us about him.

[Skooz]

Too funny...I think it was on "Grounded for Life" that one of the characters always flew for free by pretending, in teen chatrooms, to be a teenage girl named Tiffany that wasn't getting along with her parents. He got to one airport and passes the perv with the little sign that says "Tiffany" and says thanks.

LOL! Wonder if I can find a perv in tyhe Bahamas or Hawaii.

Tiffany (my friends call me "Tiffy")

[HumanaeVitae]

"First Scott Ritter, now this guy. Is this some new kind of fad, exhibitionism in front of teenies? I guess it's better (far from good) than murdered interns and kidnapped 5 year olds. :("

No, this is just the next slope of a steady downward spiral: people get bored with regular porn so they go to younger and younger and more sick porn, and then I suppose they go to this new avenue: "interactive".

But God forbid you blast porno here on FR. Nothing brings out the libertarian lynch mob here than that...

[archy]

Oh, I'm sure this sicko would have made a FINE judge... (sarcasm off)

Indeed. And, no doubt, would have had a swell time running all the juvenile court proceedings he could handle....

-archy-/-

[cynicom]

Watch this affair get Ritterized.

[Revolting cat!]

Holy smoke, is he now gonna prosecute himself? That'll be something to watch (with a web camera or not!)

[Tacis]

Actually, my bet is that he is a Republican. A Palm Beach TV station would NEVER go after a democrat, no old timee, left wing media outfit would.

Either way, however, if the facts are accurate, we are well rid of such a public servant. You have to question the judgment or even the sanity of any adult, especially a public employee, who waives his willie in front of a camera.

[T. P. Pole]

This certainly raises an interesting question. Was the reporter actually under 18, or did she just look that way? If she is over 18, did he really commit a crime? As much as he is a scumbag, is this against the law?

I suspect that he recently indited somebody at the station for the same type of thing, and this is their revenge...

[Protagoras]

Don't tell me....he's a Democrat.

Could come back to haunt you if he turns out to be a Republican.

[far sider]

Didn't Janet El Reno used to be in charge of that office? I wonder if he used to work for her.

[csvset]

Attorney May Have Used Disney Trip To Lure Young Victims

Loser

[Skooz]

Was the reporter actually under 18, ?

Excellent point. If she was not, how in the world did he commit a crime?

[goodnesswins]

Yeah....I thought about that....perverts exist everywhere. But, it just seems we're seeing a prevalence among a certain "type."

[Xenalyte]

Y'know, I'm just a corporate writer for a title company, and even I know enough not to pull crap like this.

How do these people get into positions of power?