Woman Plots to Meet Boy for Sex

(South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania) A 31-year-old mother of two, Melissa Arnold, has been charged with one count of unlawful contact with a minor for allegedly plotting to lure a 13-year-old Australian boy, via the Internet and by telephone, for sex. State police said that Arnold had offered to arrange for the boy to travel from Australia to Pennsylvania so the two could have sex.

Authorities were alerted to the scheme when the boy's father contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through the Internet. Arnold's computer was subsequently seized by detectives who found implicating evidence in numerous emails to the boy's email account.

From CBS 3:

"Communications were sexual in nature, instant messages, email and telephone communications,” said Trooper Paul Iannace of the Pennsylvania State Police.

Arnold posted $50,000 and was released from custody. If convicted, she faces a possible seven years in prison.

In an interesting side development, Arnold's husband, John, pulled a gun on the media crew when they went to interview Melissa.

When CBS 3 was leaving, Melissa's husband John Arnold came out of the house and followed us to our truck. He was repeatedly asking us what we were doing there and we told him we were leaving.

As he was walked away, he pulled a 45-millimeter handgun out of his pocket clearly showing us he had a gun. We called police and Arnold was seen showing them his gun permit.

WOW!  That is one monster pistol!


[Update 01/13/07]

Arnold sentenced.