- NEWS RELEASE -

Date: July 27, 2006

Subject: Man charged with child enticement after second arrest this year

A Clay County man has been arrested the second time this year for using the Internet to try to entice a child for sex. Raymond L. Wiley Jr., 29, was charged by Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd with child enticement on July 27 following his arrest a day earlier.

Platte County Sheriff Richard Anderson said, “Our detectives in the Platte County Cyber Crimes Unit worked closely with the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force once we learned this man was suspected in engaging in similar activity within the last several months.”

According to court documents, a detective with the Platte County Cyber Crimes Unit was posing on the Internet as a 14-year-old girl on July 25 and was contacted by Wiley, who was using the screen name “darkmentalmind69.”

Wiley allegedly offered $50 for the “girl” to perform a sex act on him. Authorities say Wiley arranged to meet the “girl” for sexual contact on July 26 behind a building in Clay County.

Platte County detectives, working with the Clay County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI task force arrested Wiley later that day at the location where he was to meet the “girl”

Court documents indicate that Wiley told authorities he had been arrested by the FBI for attempting to meet a 14-year-old girl earlier in the year.

Zahnd said his office will continue to coordinate with federal authorities on this and similar cases. “We have a history of working closely with the U.S. Attorney’s office, and we will continue to do so,” he said.

Wiley is being held in the Platte County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Myles Perry, who is assigned to the Platte County’s Cyber Crimes Unit.

Under new sentencing laws signed by Governor Matt Blunt as part of Missouri’s Jessica’s Law, Wiley faces a minimum of 5 years in prison if convicted on the Platte County charge.

Zahnd helped write portions of the new law, which Blunt signed in Platte County on June 5. During the signing ceremony, Blunt singled out Platte County’s Cyber Crimes Unit as a model in apprehending and prosecuting Internet predators.

Zahnd said, “We wrote Jessica’s Law to get tough on child sex offenders, including those who use the power of the Internet. Many sexual predators can never be cured and will continue committing these crimes unless locked up.”

The charge against Wiley is merely an accusation, and Wiley is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.