Snarkvark @ PoliSnark.comHow in the world does any sex offender—especially one actively trying to harm a child—get a sentence that doesn’t involve prison bars? This isn’t complicated: If you target children, you should be locked away. Period. Yet in Larimer County, a predator caught offering $450 to exploit what he thought was a 14-year-old was given probation. PROBATION. Not prison, not even a proper jail stay—just a deferred sentence that says, “Try to behave next time.”
Let’s be clear: Predators don’t deserve a second chance to roam free among the public. These individuals are calculating. If they were caught once, you can bet it’s not their first time thinking about or attempting something vile. Handing out probation to a child predator isn’t just leniency—it’s a dangerous gamble with the safety of every child in that community.
This isn’t some misdemeanor offense or an act of desperation that got out of hand. It’s the deliberate, premeditated pursuit of a child for sexual exploitation. And yet District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin thought probation was an acceptable outcome. How does that happen? How do you look at the facts of this case—where an adult was ready to pay money to violate a child—and decide, “Eh, let’s see if he can keep his nose clean on probation”? The mental gymnastics required to come to that conclusion are nothing short of staggering.
Letting predators off easy with a deferred sentence sends the worst possible message: that we aren’t serious about protecting children. These decisions don’t just fail victims—they embolden other predators. Because if one predator can get away with probation, what’s to stop the next one from taking that risk? If the courts keep treating these cases like they’re minor indiscretions, predators will think the consequences are just a slap on the wrist.
And let’s talk about justice for the community. What does it say to the public—especially to parents—when the justice system doesn’t prioritize locking up people who pose a danger to kids? It sends the message that children’s safety takes a backseat to procedural convenience or political calculation. DA McLaughlin claims the sheriff’s outrage is politically motivated, but that’s beside the point. Whether it’s politics or incompetence, the result is the same: dangerous people are walking free, and the community is left to deal with the fallout.
Law enforcement did their part by catching this guy in the act, and it should have been a no-brainer for the DA to follow through with a hard-hitting prosecution. The law exists to deter crime and protect the vulnerable. If prosecutors can’t even keep a predator behind bars, what the hell are we even doing?
Public safety isn’t a game. It’s not a political football to punt around between agencies or spin into PR talking points. It’s about making damn sure that anyone with a proven intent to harm children never gets the chance to act on those impulses. This isn’t just about locking up offenders—it’s about sending a message to every potential predator out there that if you come for our kids, you’re done. No excuses. No probation. No second chances.
