We talk a lot about safety for you guys, because we care about you and we want to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep you safe, smart and savvy while you are online. The internet is an awesome place to have fun, chat with friends, read up on entertainment news, games, homework help and more, and we want to keep it that way for every one of you. But sometimes we hear about stories about the kinds of things that can happen online to young people who maybe don’t realize the danger that is out there. We don’t let you give out your personal information not because we don’t trust you, but because we don’t trust some of the people that are unfortunately out there, preying on innocent kids from behind an online persona.
So here is a story we heard about and we were lucky enough to interview the man who not only saved his teenaged daughter from being victimized by a cyber predator but saved countless others.
“Postmedia News September 22, 2011 – 5:06 PM ET
By Rochelle Baker
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — A father who posed as a 15-year-old girl online to snare the man sexually luring his teenage daughter received an Abbotsford Police Board commendation on Tuesday.
Robert Kleisinger contacted police in the spring of 2009 after noticing a 33-year-old adult male was conducting inappropriate chats with his 15-year-old daughter.
Kleisinger installed Internet monitoring software to his computer, and resulting information led to charges against Jason “Booda” Reise, also wanted in the U.S. for violating parole after a property crime conviction.
The concerned dad continued to monitor Reise’s Internet presence after the charges were laid and noticed the offender was still posting to online social networking sites, a violation of his bail conditions.
Posing as a 15-year-old girl, Kleisinger set up a dummy Facebook account in October 2010.
He ‘friended’ some of Reise’s acquaintances and soon after, the online predator — prohibited from using the Internet or communicating with minors — made contact.
After several online conversations, Reise made plans to meet his new online ‘friend’ and to go buy drugs with her.
During the entire online sting, Kleisinger kept records and maintained contact with Abbotsford Police. All the effort paid off after Reise was arrested again, had his bail revoked and was returned to jail until his trial.
The sex offender pleaded guilty to luring a child via computer and invitation to sexual touching in April 2011. He was released from jail soon after his plea as a result of receiving double credit for six months time served.
But within days, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) handed him over to U.S. authorities.
Reise, a landed immigrant in Canada, is banned from re-entering the country following his deportation, now that he has served six-months behind bars.
Abbotsford Mayor George Peary commended Kleisinger for his actions while handing him the award.
“Your actions were paramount in ridding Abbotsford of a convicted sex offender,” said Peary. “The city and Abbotsford Police Department are grateful for your efforts in nailing this guy. Good job. Well done.”
Abbotsford Times
***
So if you think sometimes we are being too strict on you with your privacy and safety controls, realize we’re just looking after you! We want you to have fun and be safe online.
The KW team
