The arrest of a Wisconsin college student, charged with manipulating a 9 year old Wyckoff girl into manufacturing child pornography by providing explicit directions to the child, exemplifies the dangers inherent in today’s online world.
Parents today struggle with responsibilities, challenges, and dangers never imagined by their parents. The Internet revolution has left many elementary school age children more knowledgeable about the Internet than their parents, and the ability of young minds to learn and absorb information gives them an edge in mastering new technologies.
Social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace often are the subject of many news articles, but there are innumerable other social networks where children can be vulnerable to abuse. In the recent case involving the Wisconsin college student and the 9 year old Wyckoff girl, reports indicate they met and chatted on a gaming site.
Gaming sites have incorporated social networking aspects in order to allow players to compete and interact online. Some offer basic text interaction, some audio chat, and video options can be easily operated for even a slightly savy computer user.
Many sites, such as Club Penguin, have moderators and filters to prevent inappropriate language, but no system is full proof. Other third party platforms offer parents tools to monitor and filter their children’s online activities.
The surest safety mechanisms are vigilance and education, the same tools used in teaching how children should respond to strangers on the street. Parents on grammar school, middle school, and even high school students should be taking an interest in their child’s online activities; they should also regularly review rules of behavior for interaction with persons unknown.
Parents are encouraged to utilize the links below to establish best practices for educating their children with respect to online activities
Resources
SafeSurfingKids offers a lesson plan for teachers and parents as to how to communicate and instill safe behavior on the Internet. 45 Minute Lesson Plan For Grades 3-5.
Another list of lesson plans is more extensive and inclusive, covering all the grades, and lessons concerning safety, ethics, and proper behavior for all online communicates.
News Links on Wyckoff Arrest
Wisconsin Newspaper
Wyckoff Patch
Press Release
FREDERICK J. MEYER, JR. CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT, ENDANGERING WELFARE OF A MINOR, MANUFACTURE OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
Friday, May 25, 2012, 12:42 PM
TO: ALL NEWS MEDIA
FROM: PROSECUTOR JOHN MOLINELLI
Bergen County Prosecutor John L. MOLINELLI announced the arrest of FREDERICK J. MEYER, JR., of 106 Madison Avenue, Cascade, Wisconsin, date of birth 08/06/1990. Frederick J. MEYER, Jr. was arrested and charged with one (1) count each of Aggravated Sexual Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Minor, Manufacture of Child Pornography, and Endangering the Welfare of a Minor. Frederick J. MEYER, Jr. was arrested by detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutors Office, Wyckoff Police and Wisconsin authorities on May 24, 2012, without incident at his residence in Cascade, Wisconsin.
The arrest came about as a result of a three week investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit, under the direction of Chief Steven CUCCINIELLO and the Wyckoff Police Department, under the direction of Chief Benjamin FOX.
The arrest stemmed from an investigation in which the victim, a 9 year old female, disclosed that she met MEYER on an online gaming site. During subsequent messages that were exchanged through the site, and via text message, MEYER instructed the victim to masturbate at his direction and to take pictures of herself and distribute them to him via text message and the Internet. MEYER is being held in Wisconsin pending extradition to New Jersey.
Prosecutor Molinelli states that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Molinelli would like to thank the Plymouth (WI) Police Department, the Sheboygan (WI) County Sheriff’s Office, and The Wisconsin Department of Justice, Criminal Investigation Division for their assistance with the investigation in Wisconsin and the arrest.
CHARGE INFORMATION FORM
DEFENDANT: Frederick J. Meyer, Jr. DOB: 08/06/1990
LAST KNOWN ADDRESS: 106 Madison Avenue, Cascade, WI 53011
MARITAL STATUS: Single
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Student – University of Wisconsin
ARREST INFORMATION
ORIGINATING AGENCY: Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit/Wyckoff Police Department
DATE AND TIME OF ARREST: 05/24/2012 @ 1:00 pm
AGENCIES AFFECTING ARREST: Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit/Wyckoff Police Department/Plymouth (WI) Police Department
CHARGE AND STATUTE CITATIONS
2C:14-2A(1) Aggravated Sexual Assault – 1st Degree
2C:24-4B(3) Endanger the Welfare of a minor,by
Manufacturing Child Pornography –
2nd Degree
2C:24-4A Endangering the Welfare of a Minor –
3rd Degree
ARRAIGNMENT INFORMATION
ARRAIGNMENT DATE: TBD – Awaiting Extradition
JUDGE: Honorable Donald Venezia, J.S.C.
BAIL AMOUNT & CONDITIONS: $150,000.00 / No 10% / No Internet Usage / No Contact with Victim
PRESENT STATUS: Sheboygan County Detention Center