Texts: Charles Pugh offered 18-year-old student money for nude videos

[fanniemae]

Pugh acted guilty by leaving town, selling his condo, practically hiding from Detroit. Was the mom looking for a payday? Probably. We won't know the whole story unless the boy in question gives an exclusive interview. The kind of interview where they don't show his face and change the voice. Maybe one day. I am just glad this POS Pugh left town.

[Zacha341]

^^^ EXTREMELY GUILTY BEHAVIORS! Good riddance. At some point during all of this the young man was 17, and thus a legal minor. I say 'stay in your lane' and deal with full adults. Good he has left town.

[bailey]

^^^ EXTREMELY GUILTY BEHAVIORS! Good riddance. At some point during all of this the young man was 17, and thus a legal minor. I say 'stay in your lane' and deal with full adults. Good he has left town.

16 is the age of consent. if pugh was not a mentor at the school, none of this would be investigated as criminal. creepy...but not criminal in any way. just saying.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

16 is the age of consent. if pugh was not a mentor at the school, none of this would be investigated as criminal. creepy...but not criminal in any way. just saying.

Technically, if the affair started when he was 16 or older, you're right. But statistically speaking, sexual predators don't act once in isolation. It tends to be a pattern. Also, there are still other crimes potentially involved. For example, an explicit photo or video of someone under 18 is still child pornography, even if over the age of consent. There could also be contributing to the delinquency of a minor, endangering the welfare of a child, etc.

In this day and age, everyone dealing with minors needs to be super careful. A teacher friend of mine will not meet in alone with any student. He always leaves the door open to his office and classroom. Sad that you need to do this, but because of the bad things that do happen to kids, an allegation can destroy a life and career. So he will not put himself in a situation where an allegation can really ever occur.

Charles Pugh is a disgrace and an embarrassment to gay men everywhere. Most gay men like men, not boys.

[Zacha341]

Awesome points MIB. Thank you for so clearly making them!

Technically, if the affair started when he was 16 or older, you're right. But statistically speaking, sexual predators don't act once in isolation. It tends to be a pattern. Also, there are still other crimes potentially involved. For example, an explicit photo or video of someone under 18 is still child pornography, even if over the age of consent. There could also be contributing to the delinquency of a minor, endangering the welfare of a child, etc.

In this day and age, everyone dealing with minors needs to be super careful. A teacher friend of mine will not meet in alone with any student. He always leaves the door open to his office and classroom. Sad that you need to do this, but because of the bad things that do happen to kids, an allegation can destroy a life and career. So he will not put himself in a situation where an allegation can really ever occur.

Charles Pugh is a disgrace and an embarrassment to gay men everywhere. Most gay men like men, not boys.

[Wesley Mouch]

...In this day and age, everyone dealing with minors needs to be super careful. ...

It is too bad that we live in a society where unfounded accusations can ruin a life or career, but it is certainly so.

If this is true, Pugh should have known better as a public figures. And either way we need to learn to not jump to conclusions -- because its not always true and we can do a lot of harm to the innocent.

I can easily imaging Mr. Pugh needing to leave town simply because of the accusation and the difficulty for fighting such accusations -- even if untrue.

But that is the say things are 'in this day and age'.

[Pazen Hingree]

It is too bad that we live in a society where unfounded accusations can ruin a life or career, but it is certainly so.

i think we left the "unfounded accusations" station about 40 miles back. mr. pugh's texts have brought us to the land of proof.

[Zacha341]

More trouble for Charles Pugh? Racy text messages emerge

The second item speaks precisely to the advantage an adult can ASSUME over a child which speaks to how inappropriate his actions were! 'Age of consent' withstanding.

"In another text message Pugh told the student: "Truth is: I've had a crush on u all year!! I just couldn't say or do anything about it until now." He even offered to perform oral sex on the teenager."

"...a former City Council staff member claims she heard Pugh bragging he could sleep with any kid he mentored by giving them cash"

Read more: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/24...#ixzz2njSYLBNt

[Lowell]

16 is the age of consent. if pugh was not a mentor at the school, none of this would be investigated as criminal. creepy...but not criminal in any way. just saying.

Exactly, a non-story other than a titillating story of his fall from Grace. Too bad; he is an intelligent and highly articulate person. Like Bill Clinton, he just couldn't keep it in his pants.

[Honky Tonk]

Exactly, a non-story other than a titillating story of his fall from Grace. Too bad; he is an intelligent and highly articulate person. Like Bill Clinton, he just couldn't keep it in his pants.

Maybe not "legally", but morally, I think there's a problem with a man his age offering "toys to little boys" in exchange for sex. But these days, morality seems to a non-issue.

[Zacha341]

Yes, your are correct Bailey. By, er-hmm, the 'law' 16 is the age of 'consent' but having worked and volunteered with youth organizations, etc. I find it inappropriate for a grown man [[or woman for that matter) straight OR gay to be trolling around with teens, especially in the context of educational mentoring.

An adult acting in this manner upon teens is usually predatory IMO. The adult clearly has the advantage, no matter how worldly and mature the teen presents to be!

His job and advocacy was to mentor, not pursue sexually oriented relationships and behaviors out of teenagers. Period. Stick to adults: 'FULL' ADULTS! IMO...

16 is the age of consent. if pugh was not a mentor at the school, none of this would be investigated as criminal. creepy...but not criminal in any way. just saying.

[GP For Life]

16 is the age of consent. if pugh was not a mentor at the school, none of this would be investigated as criminal. creepy...but not criminal in any way. just saying.

I am almost 100% sure you're incorrect.

http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/Child%20Porn...n%206-2010.pdf

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/[[S[[hfn...e=mcl-750-520d

[[e) That other person is at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age and a student at a public school or nonpublic school, and either of the following applies:
[[i) The actor is a teacher, substitute teacher, or administrator of that public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district. This subparagraph does not apply if the other person is emancipated or if both persons are lawfully married to each other at the time of the alleged violation.
[[ii) The actor is an employee or a contractual service provider of the public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district in which that other person is enrolled, or is a volunteer who is not a student in any public school or nonpublic school, or is an employee of this state or of a local unit of government of this state or of the United States assigned to provide any service to that public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district, and the actor uses his or her employee, contractual, or volunteer status to gain access to, or to establish a relationship with, that other person

So, I am pretty sure it's illegal.

It's pretty clear that he's getting a pass for this. I just hope that the FBI finds out that he sent one of these texts from another state and they pursue charges against him.

[bailey]

I am almost 100% sure you're incorrect.

http://www.ndaa.org/pdf/Child%20Porn...n%206-2010.pdf

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/[[S[[hfn...e=mcl-750-520d

[[e) That other person is at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age and a student at a public school or nonpublic school, and either of the following applies:
[[i) The actor is a teacher, substitute teacher, or administrator of that public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district. This subparagraph does not apply if the other person is emancipated or if both persons are lawfully married to each other at the time of the alleged violation.
[[ii) The actor is an employee or a contractual service provider of the public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district in which that other person is enrolled, or is a volunteer who is not a student in any public school or nonpublic school, or is an employee of this state or of a local unit of government of this state or of the United States assigned to provide any service to that public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district, and the actor uses his or her employee, contractual, or volunteer status to gain access to, or to establish a relationship with, that other person

So, I am pretty sure it's illegal.

It's pretty clear that he's getting a pass for this. I just hope that the FBI finds out that he sent one of these texts from another state and they pursue charges against him.

First of all your citing CSC III... .

750.520d Criminal sexual conduct in the third degree; felony.Sec. 520d.


[[1) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree if the person engages in sexual penetration with another person and if any of the following circumstances exist:

At no point has anyone alleged there was a "penetration" so you are looking at the wrong charge.

So now let's look at the correct statute, which would be CSC IV:

750.520e Criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree; misdemeanor.Sec. 520e.


[[1) A person is guilty of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree if he or she engages in sexual contact with another person and if any of the following circumstances exist:

Which contains the same language for contact between 16-18 yr olds and a school/teacher/mentor/school volunteer

[[f) That other person is at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age and a student at a public school or nonpublic school, and either of the following applies:

[[i) The actor is a teacher, substitute teacher, or administrator of that public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district. This subparagraph does not apply if the other person is emancipated or if both persons are lawfully married to each other at the time of the alleged violation.

[[ii) The actor is an employee or a contractual service provider of the public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district in which that other person is enrolled, or is a volunteer who is not a student in any public school or nonpublic school, or is an employee of this state or of a local unit of government of this state or of the United States assigned to provide any service to that public school, nonpublic school, school district, or intermediate school district, and the actor uses his or her employee, contractual, or volunteer status to gain access to, or to establish a relationship with, that other person.

I'm almost 100% sure you just posted information that confirms my statement that "if he wasnt a mentor at the school none of this would be investigated as criminal". After the investigation, the BEST they could charge would be a misdemeanor. I think the prosecutor exercised appropriate discretion in not wasting everyone's time with it.

So I guess I'm confused, do you have a point I'm missing?