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Outcome of Ritter Sting Case Unusual
WXXA - Fox23News.com ^ | January 24, 2003

Posted on 01/24/2003 8:04:04 PM PST by HAL9000

Police say they caught him trying to meet young girls over the internet...but former U.N. Weapons inspector Scott Ritter never spent a day in jail.

Legal experts say that's unusual...most others accused of similar crimes meet a much different fate.  

Jeffrey Johnson serving 7 years in prison...nabbed by police in 1997 for trying to hook up with a 12-year old girl he met on the Internet.

Robert Rodriguez facing up to 15 years behind bars...for a similar crime involving a 14 year old.

Former U.N. Weapons inspector Scott Ritter caught in 2001 for allegedly trying to meet a 16 year old girl he chatted with online.

But Ritter's a free man...his case adjourned in contemplation of dismissal.... {"The judge, the ADAA, my lawyer, reached an ACOD and my file was sealed. I am obligated legally and ethically not to discuss matters pertaining to that."}

{"I've never heard of an ACOD in a situation like this."} Former federal prosecutor Donald kinchella says the outcome of Ritter's case is not the norm...especially since Ritter was also nabbed 3 months before the arrest and got off with just a warning.

{"People who do this just don't do it once. There's something there. No police officer or anyone else wants to see someone like this out on the streets where they can have contact with children."}

Ritter was allegedly supposed to meet the teenage girl at this Menands Burger King...but was met by cops instead...a common tactic in internet sex stings...

{"If someone communicated with someone they think is a kid and had conversations about sex and then they show up where they set the meeting up, I can't imagine what the innocent explanation would be."}

With Ritter's case-- and his lips -- sealed...we may never hear his explanation.

The sentences for crimes like these can differ greatly...depending on the specifics and whether the case is being prosecuted by the state or the federal government.

The feds generally dole out harsher penalties. They were never involved in Scott Ritter's case.



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: iraq; ritter; saddamhussein; scottritter; scottrittercase
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To: suijuris
Well we'll see how crazy a suggestion it is over time.
61 posted on 01/25/2003 2:47:08 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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To: thisiskubrick
I say he only needed one free pass. He did it for the environment. Nothing else mattered.

Had he done it as pay-back for Waco, he'd be resting with the worms just like McVeigh.

62 posted on 01/25/2003 2:49:48 PM PST by DoughtyOne
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To: AFPhys
Given the nature of child predators, I suspect he was served rather well and often in Iraq.

He must be hurting now his Baghdad vacation's been cancelled. Probably murder living with Scottie right now.

63 posted on 01/25/2003 2:52:44 PM PST by The Great Satan
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To: TLBSHOW
Hmmmm. A possible explanation for his complete turn around in opinion. But I don't know...........
64 posted on 01/25/2003 3:02:49 PM PST by tiki
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To: DoughtyOne; kattracks
I think I might have an idea of what is going on. RITTER SET HIMSELF UP in Albany.

Here's my reasoning:

--> Whatever Iraq is blackmailing him with is very nasty. Whatever the blackmail evidence is, it will get Ritter put in prison for life. His visit to a children's prison in Iraq leads to some chilling thoughts. He could have been forced to participate in the blackmail "evidence" by Saddam.

--> Ritter needs a way out. He wants to escape Saddam's blackmail, and somehow lead a normal life again.

--> Ritter solves the situation by committing a similar crime, but on a far less deranged scale. He SETS HIMSELF UP to be busted by Albany police for soliciting a minor.

--> For the ruse to work, Ritter must get caught, ALL STILL WHILE denouncing the USA publicly and supporting Iraq -- so that Saddam won't suspect that Ritter set himself up. Ritter's plan is to get 90 days in jail and trash his own reputation. Throughout, he cries "harassment", "USA sucks", "they set me up", etc - in order to fool Saddam. This keeps Saddam from releasing whatever blackmail evidence he has against Ritter. Ritter continues supporting Iraq publicly for the rest of his life -- so that Saddam will never release the evidence.

--> But something goes wrong in Ritter's plan. The cops are either incompetent or somehow catch on that he's up to something. They let him go... but one month later, Ritter does the same thing AGAIN.

--> Now things are interesting. Only an idiot would get caught doing the same thing twice. UNLESS RITTER WAS PURPOSELY TRYING TO GET CAUGHT. This is Ritter's way of putting himself on the sidelines, without having the blackmail evidence released. He'll get 90 days in jail, with a misdemeanor charge and trashed reputation; but in the end he'll be a free man and can try to live as anonymously as he can. It’s better than having Saddam’s blackmail evidence putting him in prison for life.

--> However, despite setting himself up twice, the judge and assistant DA let him off the hook! Either they are incompetent, or the Feds/CIA are wise to Ritter’s scheme. Either way, the case gets sealed and tucked away.

--> Ritter manages to get a newspaper to “leak” the story. The cat’s out of the bag now.

--> NOW his plan begins to work. He continues to publicly support Iraq in the news, but his reputation is severely damaged. Slowly, he becomes irrelevant. But he must continue to convince everyone that he supports Iraq, especially Saddam, otherwise the blackmail evidence will be released.

--> Flash to five years from today. The Iraq war is over, Ritter has spent a little time in jail, there are jokes about him on Saturday Night Live. He moves to northern Montana and tries to live as anonymously as he can. Sometimes the odd reporter comes around and asks him what really happened. But Ritter still supports Iraq in the interview. Because for all he knows, someone out there still has the blackmail evidence...

Comments??
65 posted on 01/26/2003 8:36:50 AM PST by thisiskubrick (may the running liberal pig-dogs be turned into bbq toasties in the sea of fire)
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To: HAL9000
"Ritter was allegedly supposed to meet the teenage girl at this Menands Burger King"

There was NO teenage girl. It was a adult, playacting. If we are gonna start sending people to jail when a adult playacts the part of a girl, there will be many thesbians and costumed spouses thrown in the gaol.

66 posted on 01/26/2003 8:48:26 AM PST by bvw
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To: Nick Danger
I did some research on that ADA, looking for possible connections to the Clintons or the Democratic Party, or lesbian activism, or any of that. I found nothing but a long-time prosecutor who seemed to be professional and diligent.

Alright, what colleges did she go to? Is she married? Does she have any children? Does she own a home or live at home with mom and dad? Does she own any other real estate? Is she a officer or director of any corporations? What recent elections did she vote in? What is her party of registration?

These are all matters of public record.

67 posted on 01/26/2003 9:08:07 AM PST by bvw
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To: Jeff Chandler
Or his wife.
68 posted on 01/26/2003 9:20:41 AM PST by helper
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To: thisiskubrick
I tend to doubt your idea, but Ritter's is definately a strange situation. I wouldn't dismiss anything.
69 posted on 01/26/2003 9:50:12 AM PST by DoughtyOne
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