A new school year is underway for children in West Virginia, many of whom have their own smartphone.
By age 11, about half of the kids in America have one of these powerful devices so that they may stay connected with friends and family. However, smartphones also create the opportunity for connections to be made by people who could harm them, and thus parents must be vigilant.
According to the F.B.I., more than 500,000 online predators are active daily and many are engaging with youngsters via Instagram, Snapchat, and gaming platforms. Parents are the first line of defense and need to be cognizant of the people with whom their children are communicating.
At the United States Attorney’s Office, we regularly investigate and prosecute strangers who contact young West Virginians via the Internet. These predators groom and manipulate children, request explicit photos and videos, and sometimes travel to meet. The cases we handle have one thing in common: the child had the unsupervised use of a smartphone.
In December, Nathaniel Davis was sentenced to 35 years in prison after he began an online relationship with a 13-year-old girl from Barbour County. Davis, age 34, traveled across the country from Washington to West Virginia to meet her for sex before being intercepted by law enforcement.
In May, Daniel Ramos Rosa, age 24 of Virginia, admitted to the coercion and enticement of a 10-year-old Jefferson County girl. He exchanged over 1,000 messages, photos, and videos with the victim via Snapchat and then traveled to her Harpers Ferry home where he filmed himself engaging in sexual activity with her.
In July, Stephen Seeger, 45, of Bruceton Mills was indicted after allegedly communicating with a 13-year-old girl online and persuading her to produce sexually explicit images and videos. He also was in contact with a 15-year-old female from whom he also requested images and videos.
And recently in Wheeling, Micah Farmer, a 37-year-old high school teacher, was observed spending time with a female student after school. While his behavior raised suspicions, it wasn’t until the child’s phone was reviewed that the extent of the relationship became clear. Sexually explicit messages were discovered, and when confronted with them, Farmer admitted to having sexual intercourse with the child.
What should parents do? Parents should review their child’s phone often, something made easier if they’re required to check it in before bedtime. They should also use a parental control app; set clear boundaries about online communication; require approval for installation of all apps; and look for empty Amazon boxes in their room since predators may send gifts or even a new phone as part of the grooming process.
What should school systems do? They should adopt strict policies governing electronic communications between school employees and students. These rules should require that parents be copied on all communications by teachers and prohibit teachers from friending students on social media absent parental approval. Policies should contemplate the scenario of teachers preying upon recent high school graduates, something that I’ve seen firsthand.
Now is a good time for parents to get into the routine of monitoring their children’s online activity. Don’t feel guilty about sticking your nose in your kid’s business. Instead, remember the cases mentioned above. Doing this is easier said than done, but it’s worth whatever friction it creates if it prevents your child from becoming a victim.
William Ihlenfeld is the United States Attorney for the Northern District of West Virginia.
