Minn. Students Find 'Royal' a Sex Convict

[zalinda]

OAK PARK HEIGHTS, Minn. (AP) - A convicted sex offender who tried to pass himself off as a teenage member of English nobility says he just wanted some respect, until some high school journalists uncovered his past.

(snip)

More research led the students to Web sites linking the pseudonym to Gardner's real name and to a Florida state registry of sex offenders.

The student reporters learned that Gardner was convicted in 2003 of criminal sexual conduct in Winona County, in southeastern Minnesota, for having sex with his underage girlfriend two years earlier. The girl was 14 and Gardner was 18. He was put on probation and had apparently been living lately in Stillwater and Austin.

(snip)

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20060117/D8F658RO4.html


Two things I find interesting in this article. The first is that this poor guy will always be a considered a sex offender because of something stupid he did. Many 14 year olds look and act older and the age spread should have been considered. Although, I don't have the whole story, I suspect it was a mutual act. I know when I was 14, I lied and told guys that I was older so I could hang with them.

The second is, these students were ace reporters. If they could do such a wonderful job finding information, why can't our professional reporters do their jobs as well. This administration would be brought down in no time if they showed just half the spunk that these kids did.

zalinda