Thanks for that virtualcoder. The sheriff was deliberately vague about what, where, when and how in that article. But no doubt he made the arrests. A Google search turns up more facts**. These guys were following invitations from "girls" they met on line. You may have heard about adults posing as girls on Facebook, You Tube and etc. Initially the sting was organized by a TV show but all those cases were thrown out. The TV crew was operating with the approval of the local cops and baited the guys in. Its called entrapment.

Now in Polk County Florida the sheriff did the same as you've pointed out. After the arrests of the guys who showed up at the "girls" home to have sex they were arrested and their homes searched where the computers were found. Presumably the sheriff was smart enough to not entrap these guys. Undoubtedly they'll make that claim and the court will have to make a decision.

Back to our situation. Chatting up a girl in some chat room, suggesting that they have sex and actually showing up often with a bottle of booze in hand is a far cry from accidently downloading and erasing an errant file.

I'm unbent. Unless laws change (including the Constitution) you're not going to get busted for download and erase. And I think you and the others should be upfront with people who come here scared out of their wits because they saw a picture of a naked 3 year old and are now worried sick the cops are driving up the street right this instant.

Peerless have you found that "a" I hid?

** Undercover Internet Sting Nabs Eleven Men for Traveling to Polk to Have Sex With Children « Inside Poinciana Florida