GSU student arrested in Internet sting

Thu, 09/21/2006 - 12:18pm
By: John Munford

PTC police lauded by Gov. for protecting children

A Georgia State University student was arrested by Peachtree City police Wednesday after he arranged a sexual encounter with a girl he thought was 15 years old, police said.

Ryan Allen Castaneira, 27, of Atlanta also sent the “girl” an electronic photo of a nude male via Yahoo’s instant messenger network, according to warrants for his arrest.

Castaneira was charged with violation of the computer pornography and child exploitation act of 1999, electronically furnishing obscene material to minors and driving with a suspended license, police said.

When Castaneira showed up at the Kedron Village shopping center Wednesday, he expected to meet the 15-year-old girl, police said.

This is the 17th such arrest recorded by the police department’s Internet Task Force since its inception.

Castaneira is also a staff member at GSU and he is married, police said.

An officer from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) was also present during the arrest.

The arrest comes on the heels of a press conference by Ga. Gov. Sonny Perdue a few days ago announcing that he is tripling the number of undercover state investigators handling such cases. At that conference, he credited the Peachtree City Police Department for its outstanding work in handling such cases.

The state will have 12 agents as a result of the expansion, and the number of forensic computer specialists who collect evidence in these cases will double from five to 10, Perdue has said.

By contrast, the Peachtree City Police Department has one officer who handles similar investigations on a part-time basis along with other duties.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vernon Keenan said the new staffers will greatly enhance the agency’s capability.

“The investigation of crimes against children is the top priority of the GBI,” Keenan said.

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Submitted by ole sarge on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 7:18am.

Keep up the good work. Every one of these nuts that the PTC police take out of circulation makes the entire community that much safer.

There should be an open season on these pervs with no bag limits.

Submitted by SoCalMama on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 9:03am.

But honestly....as much as this sting operation in PTC has been publicized, I am starting to laugh at these losers who keep getting busted in PTC. But hey, getting them off the street is the priority!

secret squirrel's picture
Submitted by secret squirrel on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 7:27am.

Just remember that with only two exceptions I can think of (the minister in Tyrone and a former columnist for this paper), most of these child predators are from outside Fayette County. Personally, I'd rather the police lure and arrest these out-of-area guys to other locations outside PTC/Fayette rather than the Kedron Shopping center.


Submitted by Hardtack on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 4:04am.

I certainly don't know this fellow they arrested, along with ICE? However if he is a single guy trying to make a legal date with a girl, then we are treading on thin ICE constitutionally! Don't interfere with human nature when it is legal. I know, he may be a weirdo. However, he may not be.

Fins's picture
Submitted by Fins on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 9:37am.

DUDE! Which article did YOU read?!?!


PTC80's picture
Submitted by PTC80 on Sun, 09/24/2006 - 9:50pm.

Because you're apparently responding to a different article.
"...arrested a single guy..." - No, he was married.
"...legal date..." Arranging to meet for sex is not a date.
"...with a girl..." A 15 year-old girl! So sex = Statutory Rape.
"...constitutionally..." Statutory Rape is not a protected right.
"...Human nature..." Obviously this is not normal.
"...when it is legal..." See above, this is the dumbest one yet.
"...may be a weirdo..." BINGO!!!


Submitted by skyspy on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 7:39am.

Trying to "date" a teenager isn't normal or legal! Good job Chief Murray and kids.

Basmati's picture
Submitted by Basmati on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 9:40am.

Maybe the guy was raised in Alabama? Eye-wink


Submitted by foryourinfo on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 1:36am.

I was somewhat aquainted with the man named above. He is definitely in the wrong for soliciting a child, but he is no "monster". He was a perfectly normal person in every way. He was not married. The cops said that to make his story seem so much worse. I feel sorry for him. If you knew him, you would know that it is out of his character to do such a thing. Don't judge the man. Pray for him. ~ Anonymous

Submitted by PTCitizen on Sun, 09/24/2006 - 5:14pm.

I understand you may want to stand up for your friend, and I even understand that the higher moral ground may be to pray for him instead of condemn him. I won't argue with your opinions on that. However, marriage is a matter of public record, and you are either lying about his marital status - or you are terribly misinformed. His wife was even at the bond hearing - you can even read about it in another local paper. By the way, why would you commit libel against a government agency in an open forum? The cops cannot make stuff up to make the story seem worse, they would open themselves to lawsuits for slander/libel, defamation of character, or other such things. Besides, this story was bad enough anyway

Fins's picture
Submitted by Fins on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 9:13am.

foryourinfo, I believe “monster” is a perfect title for this guy. Obviously this is not out of his character or he never would have done it in the first place. I wonder how many innocent children he has infected in the past, how many pictures has he sent other little girls, how many meetings did he have that didn’t end up being with a cop? I don’t feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for all the victims. This monster is not perfectly normal. He pretends to be normal around other normal people. Don’t be fooled!


Submitted by skyspy on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 7:42am.

He seems "normal"? So did Ted Bundy, and Jeffrey Dahmer. Their neighbors were floored when these 2 "normal" guys were arrested too.

There is nothing normal about what this guy was doing.....SNAP OUT OF IT!

Submitted by PTCitizen on Thu, 09/21/2006 - 11:16pm.

Although not covered in this paper, other reports clearly depict that this guy is NOT an illegal alien of any kind - that's not why ICE was involved. He's just a regular ol' white guy - except for the part about trying to have sex with 15 year olds.

masked08's picture
Submitted by masked08 on Thu, 09/21/2006 - 2:25pm.

department for going after these ... people. I commend the officer for their part and hard work along with your patrol and other duties. Thanks also for not faltering and standing strong in doing what is right in catching these creeps.


ArmyMAJretired's picture
Submitted by ArmyMAJretired on Thu, 09/21/2006 - 12:25pm.

Do officers from the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) normally attend arrests of perverts? Could this be one of those harmless "undocumented" workers just here to make a better life for themselves and not a threat to Americans?


Submitted by swainw on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 10:03am.

NOT AGAIN. I Have a site Somewhere You Can Report Illigals. I Have looked But Have Not Found it. I WILL. I,m An Avid fighter With Illigals. We have The Same Problems Here In Columbia S.C. And Not Much Is Being Done About It. It,s Time To Start Now. Pres. Bush Says We Cannot Deport 12 Million Or More Illigals. Why Not? Mexico Did It.

Submitted by Hardtack on Fri, 09/22/2006 - 2:06pm.

It is no problem to deport ill gals. You just never know what is wrong with them! So, deport the ill gals. Illegals are a little harder to get rid of however. We need the illegals, and all they get is words and more words from politicians. Just call the health department and they will come and get the ill gals, however.

ILuvFayette's picture
Submitted by ILuvFayette on Thu, 09/21/2006 - 5:14pm.

Would you be saying he was not a threat if it was your 15 year old daughter that was meeting with him? This probably isn't his first encounter with young girls on the internet. Who knows how young of girls he has communicated with!!!


John Munford's picture
Submitted by John Munford on Thu, 09/21/2006 - 2:31pm.

Actually ICE helped search the computer for the last guy PTC busted, so they play more of a role than you're thinking.

It could have been because the GBI is backlogged, etc.


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