Missing teen found in Colorado with Registered Sex Offender

[Supply Side Jesus]

A girl who went missing from her Illinois home a week ago has surfaced in Pueblo West.

Authorities in Illinois and the Pueblo Sheriff's Office both confirm to NEWSCHANNEL13 that Arica Blair, 15, and her boyfriend, 22-year-old John David Allen, were taken into custody at a Walmart store Wednesday evening.

Police in Jerseyville Illinois, along with detectives from the Madison County Sheriff's office, have been tracking the pair through a number of clues and tips.

When the couple went to the Walmart store to pick up a Western Union Money Transfer, deputies and U.S. Marshals were waiting.

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http://www.krdo.com/news/29262046/detail.html

Well, at least there was a happy ending somewhere today

[cleanhippie]

1. It wasn't happy for the two lovebirds.

I guess "happy ending" is all just a matter of perspective, huh?

[SavWriter]

2. With luck, and some counciling, she may realize

she was the victim, and he was manipulating her. She may not, but we can hope.

[LAGC]

3. You know, there was a 50-year marriage anniversary celebration in the paper the other day...

It was a nice picture of an older couple. They apparently married when the man was 21 and the girl was 15, back in 1961. Happily married for 50 years.

Sometimes I think law enforcement's resources are wasted on these young "predators" that go after teenagers, and should instead focus on the real pedophiles, the older perverts going after little kids (pre-teens). We already lock away and brand for life way too many older teenagers for "statutory rape" when they engage in relations with younger teenagers. They know damn well what they are doing, its not like they are innocent in the matter. We charge younger teenagers as adults when they commit a serious offense, but treat them as "victims" when it comes to sex? It's just silly.

With states dealing with escalating prison costs and over-crowding, doesn't it make sense to prioritize which criminals we really need to lock away and those we should just give a stern lecture to instead?

[madokie]

4. one of the sweetest persons in my early life was my sister in law who married my brother

when she was 15. They're both gone now

[LanternWaste]

13. What then should be the precise and relevant "cut-off" age that absolves one of blame

"Sometimes I think law enforcement's resources are wasted on these young "predators" that go after teenagers..."

What then should be the precise and relevant "cut-off" age that absolves one of blame and the other of victim-status, and on what objective measure are those ages arrived at?

[LAGC]

16. I don't think that its very easy to precisely define.

I mean, different people mature at different rates. I've known some "girls" in their 20's who really aren't that mature and could probably be considered "victims" of more aggressive suitors, but its different for each person.

As far the law is concerned, like I said before, I think that if we are holding kids of certain ages responsible as adults for committing serious crimes, it seems kind of hypocritical to say they are not responsible enough for their own actions when it comes to sex.

Of course, you could argue that we shouldn't be charging kids as adults at all, which I can sympathize with. But most folks, even younger folks, know the difference between right and wrong, and "yes" and "no."

Sometimes I think maybe there should be a 10-year cut-off: if there's more than a 10-year age difference between two people, that might be where we should draw the line in defining the younger person as a "victim" and the older person as culpable of "blame." (But of course, there are some older guys who are into really young adult women and vice versa, which I've never understood... most people prefer partners close to their own age, myself included.)

Edit: typo.

[Matariki]

10. Same age my grandparents were when they married.

I think you are very wrong. If the boyfriend was 10 years older I might agree with you. In this case the boy was barely out of his teens too and now his life will probably be ruined. And in spite of what you think, that's just not fair.

[Shandris]

15. I'm sorry, you seem to have 'realize' confused with 'be convinced'.

It was dumb (VERY dumb) on both of their parts. But your consideration that it was simply physically impossible for someone 22 to actually care for someone 7 years younger? Are you kidding me?

And I thought I was cynical at times.

[Supply Side Jesus]

5. ya, I'm sure the Sexual Predator is totally bummed out

he might have to go back to 13 year old girls instead of 15

[cleanhippie]

7. From her point of view, he is not a sexual predator, he is her boyfriend.

:shrug:

[Supply Side Jesus]

8. totally

to be young and dumb again

[LanternWaste]

11. And quite often, from a young girls POV...

And quite often, from a young girls POV, they are not sexual predators, they are their fathers.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other...

[Liberal_in_LA]

12. well, girl 15 might consider man age 22 just to be her boyfriend.

[Matariki]

9. That was the *exact* age of my grandparents when they married

Grandmother was 15, grandfather was 22. They had a long, happy marriage. My grandmother didn't need 'counseling to realize she was a victim'.

[NeedleCast]

6. Arrested in a Wal-Mart

It's really the perfect ending.

[Wait Wut]

14. The age difference isn't enough to really bug me.

At 15 I dated a 23 year old and a 25 year old. Not at the same time. :eyes:

But, this guy should've known better than to take her over state lines. That's kidnapping. Whatever case he "might" have been able to make will be overshadowed by that fact.

[Selatius]

17. If John David Allen is not able to attract girls his own age, something's wrong with him.

He only went after her for ass, and he knew she was young and naive. Also, police suspected he was a drug dealer and were after him for failing to register as a convicted sex offender.