Arrest after answering Craigslist ad

[Guest backbaygayguy]

Because guys occasionally mention Craigslist, thought I would post this article, from Bay Windows, the Boston gay weekly. I posted only part of the article, describing the arrest.

 

For the full article, which includes reactions from local activists and politicians, see http://www.baywindows.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=E634D856E20945F1864B1E30F1B5501C

 

Lobbyist arrested for soliciting sex takes leave of absence

Laura Kiritsy

 

State lawmaker says work by lobbyist would now be ‘counterproductive’

 

Three days after the Boston Herald published an account of his arrest for allegedly soliciting sexual favors via the Internet, Bill Conley, a well-respected gay activist, formally requested a leave of absence from his job as a lobbyist with the Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus. The Caucus is spearheading the lobbying effort to defeat an initiative petition for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage that is currently before the state Legislature. Conley will also no longer be representing MassEquality, the umbrella organization with which the Caucus is affiliated in the fight against the initiative petition, on Beacon Hill.

 

Conley, who has worked for the Caucus since the late 1990s, pleaded innocent in Eastern Hampshire District Court to one misdemeanor charge of paying for sexual conduct after being arrested on July 8 by UMass Amherst police. The arrest stemmed from an ongoing Internet sting operation by the UMass Police Department aimed at preventing online crime against college students and the children of graduate students, according to Deputy Police Chief Patrick Archbald. Conley, a Springfield resident, had allegedly posted an ad on the website Craigslist.org indicating he was looking to help a student earn money. A detective posing as a 22-year-old college student in need of cash responded to the ad on July 7, said Archbald, and over the course of several e-mails Conley is alleged to have offered “to pay initially between $50 and $150” for oral sex, said Archbald. Conley allegedly arranged to meet the fictitious student at a location on UMASS property the following day, at which point he “identified himself and engaged in conversation with the target,” said Archbald, and Conley was arrested. Fifty dollars in cash was seized from Conley as evidence, said the deputy police chief.

 

“Our involvement in doing these sorts of Internet searches is to protect the students,” Archbald explained of the sting operation, which he said has resulted in “quite a few of these arrests” during the last year. “There are instances we all know of where people are meeting over the Internet and it just goes horribly wrong and people are injured and are taken advantage of in other ways.”

 

Conley, 59, declined to discuss the charge in any detail but said he has hired an attorney. “I’ve pleaded not guilty and I expect that to be the result,” he said.

[johnnybrk25]

I'm not at all surprised by this. When I started escorting I started on craig's to feel the situation out and bailed off of there when I discovered other ad sources. I wouldn't see about 80% of the guys who contacted me as most seemed really intent on getting me to agree on specific sex acts for money. I know for a fact from a dominatrix friend of mine that in Chicago currently vice is targeting female providers and not male. However that situation won't last forever and people seem really intent on getting themselves arrested. I'm not sure this is such a bad thing really I was approached twice by gentleman who claimed to need so much discretion they wouldn't tell me where they were. They wanted me to meet them at a location in the far burbs where they would then drive me to an undisclosed location for a session. I obviously said no but the level of anonymity offered by Craigs is very good for predatory people.

[twinkboylover28]

Well obviously he should have never said he would "pay between $50-$150 for oral sex."

 

Hello! How dumb can you be?

 

I always meet people for lunch or coffee and then discuss "business" (which is for time & companionship only).

 

This guy didn't get in trouble for posting an ad on craigslist. He got in trouble for offering to pay someone money for sex.

[Guest zipperzone]

>This guy didn't get in trouble for posting an ad on

>craigslist. He got in trouble for offering to pay someone

>money for sex.

 

I find it hard to believe that in this day and age, with all the shit happening in the world and on our own streets that a police force would spend the time and the money to seek out and arrest anyone for this type of so-called crime. And they said they were doing it to "protect the students"? - Give me a break!!!

 

I think the public should be up in arms about the gross waste of their tax payers dollars.

[+ deej]

It's an easy bust, it obviously gets press coverage, and it's an election year.

 

Haven't you noticed there always seem to be more perverts and "sex crimes" during election years? It's not because the numbers go up. It's because they're easy busts that get press.

[Guest zipperzone]

>Haven't you noticed there always seem to be more perverts and

>"sex crimes" during election years? It's not because the

>numbers go up. It's because they're easy busts that get

>press.

 

Even so, I think the electorate should bitch about the waste of public money. Ain't they got no drug dealers anymore - and what about the last 5 rapes and the last 10 murders that they have not solved? Forget about them fellows, here's a fag willing to spend 50 bucks to suck a cock. Let's get 'im men!

[twinkboylover28]

**CHiPs theme**

[Guest ncm2169]

More CL problems ... this time involving females in the Annapolis/DC area:

 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14268367/

 

FWIW, both escorts and clients should consider avoiding CL.

[Guest zipperzone]

>More CL problems ... this time involving females in the

>Annapolis/DC area:

>

>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14268367/

>

>FWIW, both escorts and clients should consider avoiding CL.

 

No doubt this will keep America safer. Let's hear it for those wonderful and brave vice cops in Annapolis. Next they will target West Point.