If convicted, he faces up to seven years in jail, then deportation. That is the power of the Internet, McLaughlin says. It allows police in a city of only 23,000 residents to make a difference in global crime. That technology also offers a good hunting ground for pedophiles who use the anonymity of the Internet to woo children, elicit their trust and ultimately arrange a meeting. That anonymity often bolsters a bravado but hastens a downfall.
Many pedophiles brag in chat groups about sexual conquests, even trading pictures of victims.
That information can later be used against them, McLaughlin says. McLaughlin didn't start out with high-tech ambitions. He joined the police force in 1981 and specialized in sex offenders. McLaughlin guessed children using computers were revealing too much about themselves in chat rooms, putting themselves at risk. He was right.