meta-dad

To Catch A Predator in L.A.

I found a note slipped under my windshield this past Sunday morning. It was a New York Times online article printed out by our neighbors across the street; the print-out was labeled, “Reading Enjoyment.” It was the recent article about a self-described pedophile, Jack McClellan. So my neighbor was kidding, of course. She has a two and a half year old daughter and her husband is a criminal lawyer.

Jack has blazed a fearful path throughout the west coast and now it seems he has landed in our area. He has basically been run out of Washington State and is already causing quite a stir in the metro-LA area even though his website has been hijacked by anti-Jack McClellan individuals.

The point of great concern with Jack’s situation – as seen by concerned parents throughout Washington State and California (my wife and I included) – is he is a self-described pedophile and not a convicted one. Simply put, according to the law he hasn’t actually committed a crime. His website was — up until recently was a sort of “How To” blog for pedophiles, complete with tips, photos and recommendations, which apparently is not against the law. Having been pushed out of Washington State after a media-frenzy started a veritable witch-hunt, he has moved to the LA area, were he was born because as he says, climate was one factor but also there are so many world-class childrens attractions here, Disneyland, festivals and whatnot.

Now it seems crystal clear that Jack is a sick individual and although I would never claim to know current law, it seems clear to me that there is direct implication of intent, but that may not be enough to convict and therein lies the real problem. A U.C.L.A. law professor has pointed out this problem, “You can’t arrest him for just advocating sex with underage children. He has a constitutional right to do that.” Although Eugene Volokh, a Law Professor at U.CL.A. and first amendment expert claims in the N.Y.Times article,

The general rule is pictures of people in public are free for people to publish. Now if it is without permission and the person is a child and he suggests the children are sexual targets, you can imagine a court saying this is a new First Amendment exception. But it would be an uphill battle.” ~ Eugene Volokh, Law Professor, U.C.L.A.

It is published that he is living out of his blue Ford Escort in the Los Angeles area and from reports in the media and parent chat groups online he is trolling the area for what he calls LG’s (“Little Girls”). According to a CBS interview with Ron Tebo (the individual who has hijacked Jack’s website), who has been in touch with Jack via email, Jack is living off his Social Security Income and uses it to support his website.

Incidentally, according to the Lamplighter blog, his newest site is being hosted by a Canadian-based company name, Epifora which is in turn hosted by Wisconsin-based Steadfast Networks. Lamplighter has taken it upon himself to pushing the issue with the hosting company and affiliated services and making it crystal clear they are enabling a pedophiles website. I wish him luck on that front. Please visit his site for details on how you can help his cause with an email to the host company’s Abuse Department.

What has fascinated me about this predicament is the mothers and fathers of metro-LA have seemed to have mobilized on this situation with an impressive show of force. It is as if Jack has set off the most primal urge in us as animals to protect our offspring from predators. I say it in those terms because there are such raw and acrid statements toward him and his type on parent chat groups throughout the web; one of the more vocal and visible chat groups is PeachTreeFamilies.Com.

Considering his potential “audience” — illustrated above is a screen-grab of the registered sex offenders in Central and West Los Angeles (each blue box represents a register offender) — I think this mobilization to suppress his online efforts and his actions is diligent but until the current laws are addressed they will prove fruitless in court. Let’s hope lawmakers take note and put legislation for this matter on the agenda soon. In the meantime, as a concerned parent, I think the best thing to do as a parent is to keep your eyes and ears open – be proactive in your community, form a community crime watch, inform your kids about inappropriate adult behavior and contact Steadfast Network’s Abuse Department to make sure Jack cannot continue running his website.

Contact information for Steadfast Networks is:
Abuse Department:
Email – abuse@steadfast.net
Fax – 312-602-2688

Sited Articles:
New York Times | Parents Ire Grows at Pedophiles Unabashed Blog
Court TV | Pedophile Jack McClellan Seeks Advice on New Web Site
ABC4.Com | Parents Outraged Over California Man’s Website Advocating Pedophilia
Lamplighter Blog | Jack McClellan The “Celibate” Pedophile Is Back

Related Articles:
Jack McClellan Admits Photographing Wiggles Fans

Related Sites:
California Megan’s Law | Registered Sex Offenders Directory & Map
National Alert Registry
Facts About Sex Offenders