This is so crazy! He was a good guy back in the day... What the heck happened to him?

I've known Scott since the 3rd grade and I never would have expected him to do something like this.

I can't help but think this is probably the first time he'd done something like this and that he probably would not have if he had not been baited into it by undercover police.

I'm probably just trying to rationalize one of my lifelong best friends being labled a sexual predator. Especially since I have children and he was around them all the time. There's no excuse for this though, I wish I knew more details.

The only thing I can think of to explain it is drugs. I'm sure he knew better and that's what bothers me, it was a stupid thing to do.

Wassup james its tommy - ya this is wierd as you know what.. i have a son as well. he was always good to him, and my entire family. im sure alot of this was inticed by police but at the same time when an age was given thats when he should have known better. 18 is legal and im sure scott knows that. I agree with you about the drugs. . . he has been crazy on them as of late.. how did you find out?? i saw this on the news that thursday.... get back to me... tommy

ps - hope your doing well.... bye

You should thank Chief Murray and his department for ‘baiting’ this guy. Remember, only perverts take the bait. Drugs or no drugs, if he weren’t out there looking for a victim he would have never come across an undercover cop.

If this guy has really been spending time with you and your family, you may want to consider talking with your children. You’d be surprised at how few parents of child abuse victims ever suspect something happened. More likely than not, kids will not tell their parents what happened, even when asked directly, because they feel ashamed and responsible. Most of these predators don’t forcibly rape and assault children, they manipulate them AND their parents because they want access to their victims over and over again.

Do yourself a favor, stop feeling sorry for this guy. Get mad as hell and go talk with a counselor.

Leoah Whineknott

It would appear you are correct in your previous comments - actually i dont see anyone dis-agreeing with you, or atleast im not! If in fact he is guilty which it would appear he is, then i think he deserves what he gets. My son has never been alone with him, in fact my son has only seen the guy 1 time. My son is only 14 months old. I think what we are trying to say here is we are in shock. If you knew Scott you would be as well. In the end it is a tragedy... But sad as it may be it is a tragedy that he could have and should have avoided. I just pray he isnt a predator and just made a mistake. If that is even possible.. Well again thanks for your insight and previous comment. If anything has happened by this for me and my family it has opened our eyes.. Oh and i am mad as hell. He is no longer my friend. Take care - good day.
Ps . . . any news on this case? Thanks again

Long time...

A mutual friend (JS) called me and told me he saw it on the news. I didn't really believe it until I saw the story here and at AJC.

I don't think he was ever alone with my kids either and I can assure y'all he never will be. I doubt I'll see him agian anyway. If that happened to me I don't think I could show my face to my mom, much less my friends.

I don't feel sorry for him, like Trey says it's a shock, like some surreal dream and it hit very close to home. I've thought about it a lot and I decided to stop feeling sorry for him because it was such a stupid thing to do, we all know "fifeteen will get ya twenty", and I have no sympathy for stupidity. Cop or not, he should have broke off whatever kind of online relationship as soon as "15" was revealed.

I truely don't believe he's a predator and I would bet this was the first time. I'd also bet it would never have happened if not for meth.

I'd like to think this wouldn't have happened years from now when my litte girl is 15 but who knows, I guess it's better that he was caught on possibly the first time.

He seemed to be in a downward spiral lately and maybe this is rock bottom (god, let's hope so) and it will wake him up and maybe he can straighten his life out.

If he had pornography on his computer then he has been at this for a while. This was not caused by drugs, the drugs just allowed him to think that he would get away with it. Of course, he is innocent until proven guilty, but we shall see. Arms length would be the proper distance, with children, 100 yards.

Do we even know if he had child porn on his computer? Because Porno IS LEGAL its the child porn that is illegal? You said he had porn on his computer... I havnt heard any news of that. Have you or are you just speculating? At any rate ill say this again... If he did it then he deserves his punishment.. Has anyone heard any new updates on this? thanks in advance

Question Everything,but mostly the republicans!!!

Whatever that means exactly is hard to say. Like you say, x-rated stuff is legal but sub-18 is considered child porn. Was it on HIS computer? Did he send some porn to the undercover officer? Not many details on this story at all.

I would GUESS he sent some material via e-mail to the undercover cop as it didn't seem like from the time of the arrest to the article in The Citizen that police would have had a chance to impound and search the dude's computer.

I'll definitely agree on the opinion that drugs don't make you go after 15 year olds you met through online chatting and the only part the drugs play is the thinking that you'll get away with it. You're already breaking the law to buy, possess and use crystal meth so why not break another law and solicit sex from someone you think is 15?

I'll grant you that using meth might indeed make you STUPID enough to meet anyone in PTC you think is 15. I mean, how can you not know that PTC is running stings like this on the perverts out there and has for some time? It's only been all over the AJC and the TV several times.
If you're that stupid and horny, you need to be locked-up for a long time to protect women, children, livestock, anything.

NUK

You hit that nail right on the head... Funny too! Because i think locking your animals up, as sick as it may be is the right thing to do! Ya this guy was always a lil out there. But im sure he knew right from wrong, i think the way he got the computer porn charge is from voice chatting with a minor with intent on having sex with that minor while using a computer to do the "crime" is illegal. Does that make sense? When i saw the news on channel 2 they said this guy was really disturbing to chief murray because of the tactics he used to intice the minor. Basically this is what i got from it...

The last news i heard on Scott Rankin was that he pawned all of his mothers family silver stuff to get more "ICE". That stuff will mess you up. A lot of my old friends that i dont talk to anymore are addicted to that drug, its kinda sad to say the least. Scott is 34 years old, unemployed and living with his mother who enabled Scott to keep using his drugs and even gave him money to do so. This is a classic case of boy wont grow up! Hes never been a man as far as i know... Looks like MR. Rankin is going to have a "hard" time in prison. Which is where he belongs... I wonder how long he will get for this?

I dont care if they put him under the jail for this... Not only is he a pedophile, hes a thief and a liar. A mooch, leach, and a begger. He hasnt and may never stand on his own 2 feet. Again, he got what he deserves. Take care

Question Everything, but mostly republicans!

Sorry!

I agree i agree i agree... Enough about scott - how the heck are ya?

email me at info@kreativenetworks.net so we can catch up... i wonder this , has anyone tried to call his mom to get that side of the story.. not that it would matter, im just curious so give it a shot. I cant for the life of me figure out the (js) initials but its all good.

Just found out we are going to have another child.. this will be the last! that i do know.... 2 is enough! so anyways i gotta get back to work. be sure to get in touch so we can chat... hope all is well over your way.

i couldnt be a happier person in my life.... although it would appear that im bored. All this posting on a site that i would never have even visited in the first place.. oh well, good times.. bye for now... holla back

The only crime he could be charged with is possession of child pornography. They siezed his computer after the arrest. The fact that he used his computer to entice a child is enough probable cause to search his computer, that’s how they found the contraband.

I find your comment about how your wife would laugh you out of bed very ignorant. You cannot equate how your adult wife would react to this situation, these are CHILDREN he his trying to have sex with. Don't act like this is in any way funny, it's serious and your friend is going to get what he deserves.

As far as I know the charge should be "using the internet to solicit a minor".

Just as using a phone to commit a crime is illegal, so is using a computer, even if you don't get arround to commiting the crime.

As far as computer porn, I seriously doubt he was into child porn. I saw his movie collection... well, before he pawned it for ice, it was your typical adult stuff any male would be interested in.

I never got any clue that he was into anything like that, and I've known the guy for like 25 years.

I can only hope some good will come of this and Scott will turn his life around.

I think his court date is tomorrow right? The 24th?

First of all.... ill say this again. If i talked like yoda to my wife she would laugh me outta the bed... Period! Second i dont care if i offended you because you read way to far into 1 comment. 3rd - he is not my friend! 4th - I do think this is sick and very serious. I do hope they put him in prison for a long time. Now to my opinion on your comment... Dont for a second ever try to make me out to be someone that doesnt take this seriously. Keep this in mind - i did know this person a long time ago. HE was odd then, now he is a predator. Im ashamed i went to the same high school with him. But with that said i do feel like if i want to express how stupid he is i have that right, afterall i have met this man. Finally - i have children, and they are my world , if ever hurt in anyway i wouldnt stop at anything to convict whomever responsible! So i think to debate an issue with some grouch like yourself is a waste of my time. know that in the end you and i agree on this issue!

ps... i wasnt equating how my wife would react to anything other than how she would laugh at me if i talked like yoda! So you mis-understood what i was trying to say. Sorry about that next time ill be more clear!

Ive also removed the comment because i do not want to ever be mis-understood on an issue this serious.

Question Everything, but mostly republicans!