Lincoln Park Man Arraigned for Obscene Text Messages About Girl
By Kristale Ivezaj, Detroit Free Press
Nov. 15–A 21-year-old Lincoln Park man is being held without bail for allegedly sending hundreds of obscene text messages depicting sex acts with a 5-year-old girl to random people in Michigan and across the country, Michigan State Police said.
Kenneth Oliver was arraigned Wednesday on two misdemeanor charges of obscenity and malicious use of a telephone in 25th District Court in Lincoln Park. He faces up to a year in jail at his sentencing, which is scheduled for Dec. 4. He is being held in the Wayne County jail.
So far, police say they have no evidence that Oliver actually assaulted any minors. But the incidents remain under investigation.
According to investigators with the state police’s Metro South post who traced Oliver’s phone records, he had been sending random text messages from April to September 2007, about a child he claimed to have been watching walk to and from Lafayette Elementary School — which is three houses away from Oliver’s friend’s home, where he was living.
Several people who received the texts came forward to complain to police about the obscene nature of the messages, expressing concern about a possible victim. One of those to complain was a Redford woman who alerted police because of the messages’ graphic nature, according to Metro South post Trooper David Boike, who specializes in child sex-offender cases.
“He was forthcoming with the information,” said Boike, who added that Oliver was arrested without incident Nov. 8 and subsequently confessed to sending the messages. “He didn’t deny anything and recognizes that what he did was wrong. I don’t believe he did anything to the girl, but he sounded like he was on the verge of doing something.”
Police said Oliver, who did not appear to be working or going to school, does not have a history of criminal activity or mental illness.
Boike said he will meet with the elementary school’s principal today. Additionally, residents in the area around the school have been notified that Oliver is out of the neighborhood, he said.
After serving jail time, Boike said, Oliver will be required to get counseling, move from his current residence and abstain from using a computer or cell phone.
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