Internet rape case jolts Wyoming city

[one...two...tree 2,762]

by Ben Neary -

Associated Press

CASPER, Wyo. - Authorities say a Casper woman was assaulted at her front door, raped at knifepoint in her living room and left bound on the floor, and they say one of the men charged in the brutal attack claimed that he thought it was invited.

Two men are accused in the crime. One is charged with carrying out the rape. The other, the woman's ex-boyfriend, stands accused of posing as the victim online and claiming she harbored a rape fantasy and wanted to be assaulted.

The case in the central Wyoming city of Casper, population 54,000, illustrates that middle America isn't immune to the dangers of Internet anonymity and predators who target victims through online ads that hint at sex and prostitution.

Prosecutor Mike Blonigen, the Natrona County district attorney, declined to comment on the specifics of the ongoing rape case. But he said Internet cases generally pose a challenge to law enforcement.

"Tracking down who's involved is relatively difficult," Blonigen said. "It's pretty easy to set up a false identity in cyberspace, so that's always an issue. And of course, they have to make some overt act to actually accomplish any of these things. We're not the thought police."

In the Casper case, Blonigen's office has charged Ty Oliver McDowell, 26, of Bar Nunn, a Casper suburb, with three counts of first-degree sexual assault, one count of kidnapping and one count of aggravated burglary. Jebidiah James Stipe, 27, a Marine based in Twentynine Palms, Calif., is charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree sexual assault.

Lawyers representing McDowell and Stipe declined comment.

A few days before the Casper woman was raped, she had complained to the Natrona County Sheriff's Department that someone had made a false Craigslist posting about her, including photographs and personal information. The ad read, "Need a real aggressive man with no concern for women," authorities said.

Craigslist took the advertisement down when the woman complained. Yet prosecutors say it was posted long enough to catch the attention of McDowell, a medical technologist.

According to a statement filed in court by Natrona County Sheriff's Deputy Todd Sexton, McDowell waived his right to remain silent and talked to deputies investigating the case.

"McDowell admitted to going to the victim's residence . . . and having sexual contact with (the woman) to fulfill a 'rape fantasy' for her," Sexton wrote.

McDowell told investigators that he had corresponded with a person he thought was the woman at an e-mail address featured on the advertisement, Sexton wrote.

However, prosecutors charge that McDowell was actually communicating by e-mail with Stipe, the woman's former boyfriend. They say Stipe posted the ad to set the woman up for the attack without her knowledge.

The San Bernardino County (Calif.) Sheriff's Department on Dec. 16 arrested Stipe, a private first class in the U.S. Marine Corps then stationed at Twentynine Palms. A spokeswoman for the Marine Corps said Stipe enlisted in July 2001 and "was being processed for administrative separation as a result of a pattern of misconduct at the time of his arrest."

link

[Ban Hammer 14,668]

posted almost a month ago

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=236247

[one...two...tree 2,762]

posted almost a month ago

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=236247

oops...can a Mod delete or lock this thread? Thanks.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

That's one of my old haunts.

Edited February 7, 2010 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[scandal 951]

That's one of my old haunts.

What, the Internet? Me too.

[SuperDuper! 230]

I think that its a good thing that OP posted this story again. Rape, murder and violence linked to meeting up with Craigslist people is rampant. Yet, so many here easily tell others to sell their junk or buy some off craigslist before moving in with their new LDR spouse. Seems to me if you care about others, we would tell people to STAY AWAY from Craigslist, and have or check out local garage sales or Ebay to make transactions.

[scandal 951]

I think that its a good thing that OP posted this story again. Rape, murder and violence linked to meeting up with Craigslist people is rampant. Yet, so many here easily tell others to sell their junk or buy some off craigslist before moving in with their new LDR spouse. Seems to me if you care about others, we would tell people to STAY AWAY from Craigslist, and have or check out local garage sales or Ebay to make transactions.

What's scary about this story is that the victim wasn't even the one participating in the online activity. Even if you stay away from craigslist etc., what are you supposed to do about the psycho who decides to use Internet forums as a weapon against you? Besides, I think your point about Craigslist is misplaced. It's a tool, like any other. It can be used for perfectly innocent and productive ends, or for mischief and harm. Just like automobiles, kitchen knives, or plastic baggies, which can be used for good or for harm.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

What, the Internet? Me too.

Casper, Wyoming.

I use to spend time on the internet until Charles ruined it.

In closing I'd like to state, Leafs 5, Sens 0.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

What's scary about this story is that the victim wasn't even the one participating in the online activity. Even if you stay away from craigslist etc., what are you supposed to do about the psycho who decides to use Internet forums as a weapon against you? Besides, I think your point about Craigslist is misplaced. It's a tool, like any other. It can be used for perfectly innocent and productive ends, or for mischief and harm. Just like automobiles, kitchen knives, or plastic baggies, which can be used for good or for harm.

This is what is most disturbing. The perp and the person who facilitated the crime didn't know each other in the normal sense.

[scandal 951]

Casper, Wyoming.

I use to spend time on the internet until Charles ruined it.

In closing I'd like to state, Leafs 5, Sens 0.

I'm not a hockey fan. Weird, I know. In my current hometown they've got this outfit called the Black Hawks that people are getting all excited about. They even ran a tutorial in the Chicago Tribune a few weeks ago teaching the newbies about the blue line, icing, and hattricks. Just not my scene. I'll stick with the Bears (and the Colts for this evening).

[SuperDuper! 230]

What's scary about this story is that the victim wasn't even the one participating in the online activity. Even if you stay away from craigslist etc., what are you supposed to do about the psycho who decides to use Internet forums as a weapon against you? Besides, I think your point about Craigslist is misplaced. It's a tool, like any other. It can be used for perfectly innocent and productive ends, or for mischief and harm. Just like automobiles, kitchen knives, or plastic baggies, which can be used for good or for harm.

Sorry dude, but If you want to send your spouse to meet up with weirdos to buy used kitchen gadgets, then go ahead: See my point: It is not worth it when you are meeting strangers. Call me paranoid, but we got along just fine without CL for 30+ years, and now that CL is here there are a trail of victims that were introduced to their predator via CL. Dealing with strangers for no good reason is not a healthy habit, because you do not know who the sociopaths are who will pillage, rape and kill you.

ps, the "paranoid" survive.

Edited February 7, 2010 by Hopp

[scandal 951]

Sorry dude, but If you want to send your spouse to meet up with weirdos to buy used kitchen gadgets, then go ahead: See my point: It is not worth it when you are meeting strangers. Call me paranoid, but we got along just fine without CL for 30+ years, and now that CL is here there are a trail of victims that were introduced to their predator via CL. Dealing with strangers for no good reason is not a healthy habit, because you do not know who the sociopaths are who will pillage, rape and kill you.

ps, the "paranoid" survive.

To each his own. Nobody's forcing you to use CL. I've used it numerous times over the years. I sold my minivan through CL, I sold a bunch of furniture when we moved from California through CL, I advertised our garage sale on CL at that same time, and I bought a laptop through CL. That's what comes to mind at this moment. There were surely more productive uses as well over the years. So far, no psychos.

Fwiw, if you post a classified in the newspaper for a garage sale or to you list your minivan, you're running pretty much the same risks. Maybe worse, since you provide a contact phone number in the ad. On CL you provide just an anonymous email inbox which can let you filter the responses.

[SuperDuper! 230]

To each his own. Nobody's forcing you to use CL. I've used it numerous times over the years. I sold my minivan through CL, I sold a bunch of furniture when we moved from California through CL, I advertised our garage sale on CL at that same time, and I bought a laptop through CL. That's what comes to mind at this moment. There were surely more productive uses as well over the years. So far, no psychos.

Fwiw, if you post a classified in the newspaper for a garage sale or to you list your minivan, you're running pretty much the same risks. Maybe worse, since you provide a contact phone number in the ad. On CL you provide just an anonymous email inbox which can let you filter the responses.

I didnt mean to have a garage sale at home. Just going around town and finding cheap funky items for mahal to decorate the house with.

Dude, you are the CL master, and can sniff out weirdos a mile away, so you never run into them. Now can you do the same on VJ and give me a heads up, and i will do the same!

[scandal 951]

.. can sniff out weirdos a mile away, so you never run into them. Now can you do the same on VJ and give me a heads up, and i will do the same!

My list of VJ weirdos is pretty long. Where shall I start?

[SuperDuper! 230]

My list of VJ weirdos is pretty long. Where shall I start?

An alphabetical listing will suffice.