Teh One Who Knocks
07-30-2012, 11:18 AM
Two online soliciting arrests in two days for Boynton detective
By Brett Clarkson and Karla Bowsher, Sun Sentinel
http://i.imgur.com/CiTT2.jpg
The principal of a Wellington middle school is in custody after he sent a series of steamy, sex-laced messages to an undercover detective posing as a 15-year-old boy and then drove to a parking lot to meet up with him, police said.
Scott A. Blake, 47, is facing charges of computer pornography child exploitation and traveling to meet a minor to commit an unlawful sex act.
Blake is the second Palm Beach County man charged with online solicitation in two days, thanks to cases made by Boynton Beach Police Detective Charles Ramos, who posed as a 15-year-old boy online in an effort to catch adults trying to initiate sexual contact with children.
Police credited Ramos' work for the arrests, which also included Eric Paul Vanderline, 28, a manager at Sunglass Hut at Boynton Beach Mall, who was charged Wednesday.
"That's two arrests in two days of men trolling the Internet to prey on young boys," said Stephanie Slater, spokesperson for the Boynton Beach Police Department. "Thanks to the tremendous work of Boynton Beach Police Detective Charles Ramos, these sexual predators will no longer be a threat to children."
Asked if Ramos could comment, Slater said he needs to stay out of the spotlight because of his undercover work. He didn't return a voicemail request for an interview Friday.
"The type of work he does, it's too sensitive," Slater said.
Blake was the principal of Polo Park Middle School in Wellington until Friday. He had only been in the job for a year and had also been an assistant principal at Jupiter High School and the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.
School officials removed Blake from his post Friday morning and will assign him to a job where he has no contact with students pending the outcome of the case, said Palm Beach County Schools Superintendent Wayne Gent.
"While we cannot comment on ongoing investigations, these allegations are very troubling and disappointing to us," Gent said in a statement. "The safety of our children is our paramount concern."
Vanderlinde, of West Palm Beach, was arrested at the Boynton Beach Mall after sending two photos of his penis to Ramos earlier in the day, police said.
Vanderlinde also described the sex acts he would do with the "teen," according to an arrest report.
Vanderlinde is charged with computer pornography child exploitation, two counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor, possession of drug paraphanalia, possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license.
Blake appeared Friday morning in a West Palm Beach court, where Circuit Judge Ted Booras set bond at $500,000 and ordered house arrest. As well, he must have no contact with children or access to the Internet.
Prosecutor Gregory Schiller declined to comment on the case. He said sex offenders can't be defined by a stereotype or any other obvious identifier.
"The problem with sexual predators is that they can be anyone, anywhere, at anytime," Schiller said.
According to an arrest report, Blake and the detective began messaging each other on a social network on July 18.
Blake, who lives in Palm Beach Gardens, quickly began writing about sex.
"I need a boy to cuddle with and take a nap this afternoon," he wrote in one exchange on July 20, according to the affidavit.
Although the undercover cop's online profile said he was 25 years old, the picture was that of a child. Blake quickly zeroed in on his young appearance, police said.
"You look younger than 25 hehe," the principal wrote.
"I am, I'm 15," Ramos wrote back.
"Lol oh ok hehe," Blake offered. "Too bad you aren't legal."
The messages increasingly became more explicit, with Blake saying at one point that he "can be aggressive around a naked boy, lol," police said.
The exchanges culminated in an arranged meeting in Boynton Beach Thursday evening. Blake messaged his fear of arrest and planned to drive by on the street to make sure the person was really a child, the affidavit said.
Police said that starting about 7:30 p.m., Blake drove a black Mercedes Benz C250 around the parking lot of the meeting place for about 15 minutes before cops arrested him.
Parents of children who attend Polo Park Middle School were stunned by the arrest.
"I'm just beyond shocked," said Stacey Aiken, a Lake Worth mom whose 14-year-old daughter goes to the school. "I'm mortified."
By Brett Clarkson and Karla Bowsher, Sun Sentinel
http://i.imgur.com/CiTT2.jpg
The principal of a Wellington middle school is in custody after he sent a series of steamy, sex-laced messages to an undercover detective posing as a 15-year-old boy and then drove to a parking lot to meet up with him, police said.
Scott A. Blake, 47, is facing charges of computer pornography child exploitation and traveling to meet a minor to commit an unlawful sex act.
Blake is the second Palm Beach County man charged with online solicitation in two days, thanks to cases made by Boynton Beach Police Detective Charles Ramos, who posed as a 15-year-old boy online in an effort to catch adults trying to initiate sexual contact with children.
Police credited Ramos' work for the arrests, which also included Eric Paul Vanderline, 28, a manager at Sunglass Hut at Boynton Beach Mall, who was charged Wednesday.
"That's two arrests in two days of men trolling the Internet to prey on young boys," said Stephanie Slater, spokesperson for the Boynton Beach Police Department. "Thanks to the tremendous work of Boynton Beach Police Detective Charles Ramos, these sexual predators will no longer be a threat to children."
Asked if Ramos could comment, Slater said he needs to stay out of the spotlight because of his undercover work. He didn't return a voicemail request for an interview Friday.
"The type of work he does, it's too sensitive," Slater said.
Blake was the principal of Polo Park Middle School in Wellington until Friday. He had only been in the job for a year and had also been an assistant principal at Jupiter High School and the Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach.
School officials removed Blake from his post Friday morning and will assign him to a job where he has no contact with students pending the outcome of the case, said Palm Beach County Schools Superintendent Wayne Gent.
"While we cannot comment on ongoing investigations, these allegations are very troubling and disappointing to us," Gent said in a statement. "The safety of our children is our paramount concern."
Vanderlinde, of West Palm Beach, was arrested at the Boynton Beach Mall after sending two photos of his penis to Ramos earlier in the day, police said.
Vanderlinde also described the sex acts he would do with the "teen," according to an arrest report.
Vanderlinde is charged with computer pornography child exploitation, two counts of transmission of harmful material to a minor, possession of drug paraphanalia, possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license.
Blake appeared Friday morning in a West Palm Beach court, where Circuit Judge Ted Booras set bond at $500,000 and ordered house arrest. As well, he must have no contact with children or access to the Internet.
Prosecutor Gregory Schiller declined to comment on the case. He said sex offenders can't be defined by a stereotype or any other obvious identifier.
"The problem with sexual predators is that they can be anyone, anywhere, at anytime," Schiller said.
According to an arrest report, Blake and the detective began messaging each other on a social network on July 18.
Blake, who lives in Palm Beach Gardens, quickly began writing about sex.
"I need a boy to cuddle with and take a nap this afternoon," he wrote in one exchange on July 20, according to the affidavit.
Although the undercover cop's online profile said he was 25 years old, the picture was that of a child. Blake quickly zeroed in on his young appearance, police said.
"You look younger than 25 hehe," the principal wrote.
"I am, I'm 15," Ramos wrote back.
"Lol oh ok hehe," Blake offered. "Too bad you aren't legal."
The messages increasingly became more explicit, with Blake saying at one point that he "can be aggressive around a naked boy, lol," police said.
The exchanges culminated in an arranged meeting in Boynton Beach Thursday evening. Blake messaged his fear of arrest and planned to drive by on the street to make sure the person was really a child, the affidavit said.
Police said that starting about 7:30 p.m., Blake drove a black Mercedes Benz C250 around the parking lot of the meeting place for about 15 minutes before cops arrested him.
Parents of children who attend Polo Park Middle School were stunned by the arrest.
"I'm just beyond shocked," said Stacey Aiken, a Lake Worth mom whose 14-year-old daughter goes to the school. "I'm mortified."