Warrant issued for Saline man suspected of trying to entice girls he met on Xbox Live into sex
A Saline man is facing charges for trying to entice middle school girls he met through an online gaming system into sex acts, police said.
A warrant on three counts of accosting minors for immoral purposes was issued Friday for Robert Christopher Lynch, 20, records show. Lynch has not been arraigned and will be given the opportunity to turn himself in and retain an attorney, which is customary in these types of cases, Saline Police Detective Don Lupi said.
Lynch could not be reached for comment and had not hired an attorney as of Friday, according to court records.
The police investigation was prompted by officials at Saline Middle School who in February discovered a female student in possession of condoms. School officials learned the girls received the condoms from Lynch and that several students between the ages of 11 and 14 were regularly having online chats of a sexual nature with him through Xbox Live, police reports said.
Police said charges were authorized related to two victims, both 14. The girls met with Lynch on multiple occasions but no sexual contact ultimately occurred, according to police reports.
Lupi said he spoke with the girls and their parents, but said that because the girls were young, they were also interviewed by specialists at the Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center.
From those sessions at the center, which helps authorities investigate child abuse and other crimes involving children, authorities learned that Lynch tried to have sex and requested naked photos of the girls and images of them engaged in sex acts, police reports show.
He also is suspected of encouraging the girls to sneak out from a sleepover at one of their homes in February and driving them to a strip club in downtown Ypsilanti, police reports said.
The girls told investigators that they waited in a vehicle while Lynch entered the Deja Vu Showgirls on Washington Street and bought sex toys that he later asked them to use. Other allegations included Lynch meeting one of the girls at the Saline Public Library, but no physical contact happened, reports said.
Police confiscated and reviewed multiple cellphones during the investigation but did not request any charges for technology-related crimes. Lupi declined to discuss specifics of the investigation.
Lynch spoke with police and indicated the situation was a misunderstanding, reports said.
Lupi credited school officials with taking a proactive approach once they suspected unusual activity.
“Because of the school’s thorough investigation, they discovered there was much more to it and that even a possible crime occurred. They did what was right,” he said.
Saline Middle School Principal David Raft did not return calls seeking comment.
Art Aisner is a freelance reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
S
Wed, May 11, 2011 : midnight
Hmm... I personally have met the accused, and I do think it's possible that some of this might be overblown. Do I think it's in anyway OK that he allegedly tried to solicit pictures from middle school girls? NOT AT ALL. However, when I read this article an arrogant, manipulative, aggressive person comes to mind. On the occasion or two that I came into contact with the person in question, he seemed nice, eager to please, sort of awkward and a little bit shy. I think he might have been lonely, and sort of convinced himself that these girls were more mature than they are (if he is guilty as accused). I'm almost positive he was in a relationship with one of them too. I know a girl that looked young posted things on his facebook often. Yet another reason parents should monitor their children's facebook. I'm not agree with any accused actions of the person in question, I'm just saying his motives may be different than one would assume, if he did commit these crime. I think it's entirely possible if he bought sex toys for these girls, then it may have been more to impress them with his age and maturity, that sort of a thing. I think he also may have began his relationship with one of the girls because he was lonely (maybe having a hard time with girls his age.) I have no relationship in any way to the person accused, I have just seen him at parties of friends. I absolutely think he should still be punished if he did do what is being said, just not a lifetime in prison or anything. I think a maybe a year of house arrest and some other things would sufficiently deter him; I bet he already wishes he could go back and undo everything. Also, I think this is a prime example of amazing teachers. so why does Saline keep cutting the funding of teachers and law enforcement/fire/etc.? We pay a lot to live in Saline for a reason: so that are children may have the best education possible, and to feel safe. We have that, move somewhere else to pay less to live in a violent city.
Bertha Venation
Thu, Mar 31, 2011 : 8:38 p.m.
Sure am glad my kids are all grown and gone!
pegret
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 4:16 p.m.
Sorry...Make that NOT in any way overblown!
pegret
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 4:13 p.m.
Absolutely right, labtech. I agree that a 20-yr-old coercing 14-yr-old middle school kids to leave a slumber party and driving them to a strip club is in anyway 'overblown'.
RJA
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 4:10 a.m.
Congrats to Saline School Staff!
Fat Bill
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 1:51 a.m.
I'm pleased that the school was able to intervene and stop a crime before it got worse. I would hope, however, that possession of condoms is nothing the girls would receive discipline for. I would not be happy if my middle school son or daughter were sexually active, but I would feel a little better if they had the common sense to have condoms around...
Calendar Girl
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 4:20 p.m.
Thankfully a teacher at Saline Middle School has compiled a resource for parents about CyberSafety, <a href="http://ms.salineschools.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=39&Itemid=75" rel='nofollow'>http://ms.salineschools.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=39&Itemid=75</a>. The school also features these issues on their daily announcements and in the school paper. I don't have children, but I am related to the teacher that put this resource together. It's worth mentioning that she did it of her own volition and mostly on her own time. I spent many evenings and a few Saturdays working on it with her. Perhaps we should remember this kind of dedication to our children when we call for pay cuts from our teachers.
snapshot
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 4:57 a.m.
I commend the teacher and would commend the many folks who have taken action when they see something amiss. But Calender Girl, many other professional and non profiessional people would have taken the same action. Let's not confuse individual values with the process of becoming fiscally responsible and viable again.
Jim Knight
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 2:39 p.m.
A comment that contained a personal attack and name calling was removed.
Marshall Applewhite
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 2:22 p.m.
I understand that the actions of Mr. Lynch are creepy and downright weird, but has a crime actually occurred here? I'm sure even a mediocre attorney could have these charges thrown out rather quickly.
Calendar Girl
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 2:02 a.m.
@Marshall-I would agree with you, but unfortunately there are TONS of archaic laws on the books. Fortunately they can be used to get some creeps of the streets. This one lives down the street from my niece. He's better off in jail than somewhere I can find him.
Marshall Applewhite
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 1:45 a.m.
@Calendar Girl That is also the same MPC Act which also imposes a fine and jail time for "750.25 Adulteration of butter and cream" and "750.27 Adulterated cigarettes" This is some pretty archaic law we're dealing with here. Although the law hasn't been formally repealed, I'm positive any legal team can shoot many holes in it.
Calendar Girl
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 10:58 p.m.
As the second sentence of the article reads, he's been charged with 3 counts of "accosting, enticing or soliciting child for immoral purposes." It's a crime according to The Michigan Penal Code Act 328 of 1931.
Garrett
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 1:58 p.m.
Parent's should also be aware that a lot of this stuff gets overblown.
labtech
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 12:03 p.m.
He talked them into sneaking out of a slumber party and then drove them to a strip club. How is that overblown???
Rusnak
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 1:41 p.m.
A2.com should do a story on how kids are communicating these days. I don't have kids but, would be interested to know.
Jake C
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 9:21 p.m.
Kids are communicating the same way they've always been -- through any and every medium available. Doesn't matter whether it's smoke signals, letters, telegrams, phone, email, BBS, IRC, various chat protocols, texting, myspace, facebook, or whatever -- kids will use it all if they want to. And then they'll invent new stuff.
ShadowManager
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 2:49 p.m.
It wouldn't work because the way kids communicate would probably violate A2.com's conversation guidelines.
diagbum
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 10:51 a.m.
Parents should be aware of all the "secret" ways kids have to communicate these days. Xbox LIVE is just one of the ways, another one that parents should know about is Skype. Skype is a video chat program popular with teens and young adults who are using it for "Skype sex".
ShadowManager
Tue, Mar 29, 2011 : 2:37 a.m.
Parent, unfortunately, still suck at Halo: Reach.
Calendar Girl
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 5:11 p.m.
Minors do NOT have a right to privacy. Most lawyers encourage parents to read their child's email and social networking accounts since they are required to keep children safe.
annarborfan
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 4:28 p.m.
hacking into a child's computer/password may save a life -
ferdcom
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 4:12 p.m.
Yes, it's considered computer hacking and is illegal.
tdw
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 2:39 p.m.
Nope not illegal just as you can search your kids room
Craig Lounsbury
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 12:39 p.m.
Not if they are under 18 it isn't....at least that is my understanding. I am not however a lawyer.
ferdcom
Mon, Mar 28, 2011 : 12:31 p.m.
Parents should be aware that it is illegal to hack into their children's password protected e-mail and social network accounts.