Xbox Live user accused of molestation

by Ross Miller { Jan 5th 2006 at 4:30PM }

As much as we've praised the service, here is a disturbing story involving the Xbox Live community. A 26-year old male has been accused of molesting a 14-year old boy who he met via Xbox Live. According to the story, the two met on the service, conversed with each other through their headsets, and later their relationship moved onto e-mails, obscene webcam videos, and even a supposed rendezvous at a Santa Rosa park in California.

It's a scary story, but hopefully a very rare case. Nintendo has been very staunch with their Wi-Fi service, not allowing friend codes to be shared online. With an event like this, we can understand their fear. The 26-year old male did not enter a plea during yesterday's court appearance; he is free on bail and will appear in court again on the 20th of January.

[via Next Generation]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Grudge @ Jan 5th 2006 6:07PM

I appreciate your (sudden? *wink*) objectivity to this. you didn't say the gaming community at large was at fault, and you didn't try to absolve them either. Kudos on a refreshing news piece. not the content (Obviously), but your coverage of it.

That out of the way, I think this is a perfect opportunity to make parents aware of what XBL actually is (I wonder what % of parents know what their underage child actually does when strapping on that headset) and does, but also make younger gamers(and gullible adult ones, too) realize that not everything is what it seems.

I have a great policy: Assume everyone else on the internet is a child kidnapping, seventy-four year old man living in Tampa with his dog, Ralph.

There goes online dating.

macally @ Jan 5th 2006 8:32PM

Don't you mean Microsoft, not Nintendo?

[Ross responds: Sorry to edit your post to respond, but even the staff is having problems making comments. Nope, I did mean Nintendo, because they are the competing online service, taking a more of hard-line approach when it comes to building communities - they are taking every step to avoid a situation like this, but at the cost of online gamers making new friends via Mario Kart DS.]

sjenky @ Jan 5th 2006 9:30PM

But don't forget that a huge part of Nintendo's playing audience is underaged, a setup like xbox live would make nintendo's wifi service the nr. 1 hunting ground for pedophiles. Young people often want to hang out with their peers (even if they're 40, they don't know), it makes them feel more mature themselves.

It's a shame so many people fail to realise this and only think of themselves and the hard time they're having when they can't curse at eachother in an online mario kart match.

Superzapper2000 @ Jan 5th 2006 9:52PM

There's some really sick people and sick stuff out there.It's up to parents to be more aware of the situations and just what kids are getting into.You can be accused of smothering kids or being over protective though and it's hard to find a good balance especially with teens .

Andre @ Jan 5th 2006 11:15PM

Imagine what it will be like once they release the xbox camera.

And that kid is a moron for giving a stranger is home address.

JRM @ Jan 6th 2006 1:12AM

don't you people get it? The two individuals are GAY!! making such an accusation is a way for the kid, or his family, to cover it up.

neale @ Jan 6th 2006 3:20AM

who the hell gives out their details and arranges meet ups with randoms. its the kids own stupidity

val @ Jan 6th 2006 5:11AM

@ andre and neale

Are you seriously saying that the kid was asking for it? Especially you neale, you implied as such in your post.

I suppose a woman wearing mini skirts and a low cut blouse is just asking to be raped.

Kim Laughton @ Jan 6th 2006 6:43AM

Val, if they were having 'obscene' webcam conversations, then yeah, the kid may well have known what he was in for.

Would you, at the age of 14, have given out your address if some guy sent you dodgy videos of himself?

val @ Jan 6th 2006 7:47AM

"Their conversations progressed to sending e-mails and Web cam videos, with Watts allegedly sending the boy obscene video clips of himself, authorities said.

The teen eventually gave Watts his home address and telephone number and they met in a Santa Rosa park in November where the alleged physical abuse occurred."

hmmm...it seems that you were right Kim Laughton. The kid did appear as if he was asking for it (as it looks in the above text statement)

My apologies to Andre and neale.

Although, even if the kid shares some of the blame in reality, by law, the blame falls soley upon the 26 year old (watts). Statutory rape law puts watts, and not the kid (due to his age) as the sole transgressor. He's the adult and should know better.

and no...I'm not a lawyer but I think that's how it works.

CuddleFish @ Jan 6th 2006 8:19AM

Xbox Live is a service for users 18 and over. Read the user agreement:

"You are an individual person. You must be at least 18 years old and have attained the age of majority in the province, state or country in which you live."

Parents are at fault too.

Grudge @ Jan 6th 2006 8:56AM

Thoise of you implying this kid is at fault should be ashamed of yourselves, and probably put away somewhere where you can't harm society.

FOURTEEN YEARS OLD. How can any of you have the really sickening nerve to say 'he should've known better?' Do you know what child abusers do? Do you know the psychical sideof the abuse? The preying on innocence and ignorance and, above all, manipulating the kid's sense of belonging andacceptance?

Sick, sick, sick. I hope none of you ever have children. If you think a child of 14 has the mental capacity of an adult, you need help.

val @ Jan 6th 2006 10:05AM

Grudge,

We're all operating under the black and white, nondetailed article. Truth is, no one here knows what really took place. All we know is the nature of the crime and the broad sequence of events leading up to it.

As it is stated in the article, the kid sent personal info about himself and consented to a face to face meeting AFTER watts made his intentions known. I'm not really blaming the kid but he shouldn't have given so much of himself.

However, if the kid was reluctant to give up the info and watts later persuaded him to do so, then yes, the kid is totally blameless. Even adults gets fooled sometimes.