Cops Arrest Sex Predator in Alta Laguna Park
Undercover cops arrested a 34-year-old Anaheim construction worker Tuesday night, charging him with two felonies: attempted lewd acts with a child and sending a minor harmful matter.
Detective Sgt. Darrin Lenyi said earlier this month Perverted Justice.com, a non-profit vigilante group best known for its controversial role in NBC's "To Catch a Predator" series, contacted police.
Perveted-Justice.com creates fictitious profiles on Internet sites of girls and boys. According to their website, when predators begin on-line chats, it is always the predator who initiates sexual dialog.
Lenyi explained, "Perverted Justice told us that there had been a contact on one of their profiles of a perceived 13-yearold girl. The suspect lived in Anaheim and they knew we were an agency they could work with."
In 2006, Laguna Beach police conducted an earlier Internet sting with the organization that resulted in 13 arrests. Eleven of the suspects have since been convicted of attempted lewd acts with a child.
Among those arrested was California Highway Patrol Lt. Stephen Robert Deck of Oceanside. According to the OC District Attorney's website, Deck's pre-trial hearing is set for Aug. 29 with a jury trial scheduled for late October. Another suspect is a fugitive.
Lenyi said police detectives learned that the suspect had sent the "girl" pornographic pictures.
Scott Fish was arrested in Alta Laguna Park Tuesday night after arranging a "date," Lenyi said, adding, "He had told the 'girl' he wanted to meet her in a public park to have sex. He had a condom in his possession when we took him into custody."
After Fish was booked in the city jail and taken to the county jail under $100,000 bail, police obtained a search warrant for his Anaheim home and to seize his computer. "We want to see if there is any evidence that Mr. Fish has previously been involved with any real victims," Lenyi said.
In 2006, a similar search of Deck's computer revealed that he had allegedly molested a 10-yearold girl. That information was turned over to the OC District Attorney and Deck will also face a charge lewd acts upon a child for that offense.
