Scott Ritter's 2001 mug shot (courtesy WNYT-TV) |
Warning: This story contains graphic content that may offend some readers.
A former chief U.N. weapons inspector and outspoken critic of President George W. Bush has been caught in yet another sex scandal with a person he believed was a teenage girl, according to news reports.
Scott Ritter of Delmar, N.Y., who served as chief U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq from 1991-98 and stated that President Bush should be impeached for his Iraq policy, is accused of having sexual conversations and performing sexual acts on a Web camera in front of a police officer posing as a 15-year-old girl.
As WND reported, Ritter was also arrested in 2001 and charged with attempting to meet an under-aged girl for a sexual encounter. New York media coverage indicated Ritter sought to have underage girls watch him have sex with himself in public places. The arrest record was sealed and the case reportedly dismissed.
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This time around, Barrett Township police officer Ryan Venneman posed as 15-year-old "Emily" in an online chat room. A person with the screen name "Delmarm4fun" contacted "Emily," explaining that he was a 44-year-old man from Albany, the Pocono Record reported.
According to the police affidavit, "Delmarm4fun" was later identified as Ritter.
Ritter asked "Emily" for a photograph and sent the police officer a link to his Web camera so he could film himself during a sexual act. He provided "Emily" with his cell phone number and asked again how old she was. When "Emily" responded, Ritter turned off the camera. He claimed he didn't realize she was 15 and said he didn't want to get in trouble.
But Ritter didn't end the conversation. He told "Emily" he wanted to have sex with her, and "Emily" replied, "Guess you turned it off …"
According to the report, Ritter replied, "You want to see it finish?" He then turned the camera back on and finished the sex act.
The sexual conversation took place in February 2009, and police obtained court orders to get Ritter's cell phone and computer information. The Pocono Record reported Ritter waived his right last month to a preliminary hearing and is awaiting his appearance in Monroe County Common Pleas Court. He's free on $25,000 unsecured bail.
In 2001, Ritter had been charged with attempted child endangerment after her tried to meet an undercover policewoman posing as a 16-year-old girl at a Burger King. The case was apparently kept so secret, the head local prosecutor did not even know it existed. Ritter claimed he knew nothing of the arrest. But his attorney later confirmed that he had been arrested.
Sources told the Albany Times-Union that Ritter actually had two run-ins with police in 2001. The first occurred in April, as the former Marine reportedly drove to a Colonie business to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old girl. He was reportedly questioned by officers, and released without a charge. Two months later, the source told the paper, Ritter was caught in the same kind of online sex sting after he tried to lure a 16-year-old girl to an area Burger King restaurant.
"I was arrested in June 2001, charged with a Class B misdemeanor," Ritter said during a January 2003 appearance on "CNN Newsnight with Aaron Brown." "I stood before a judge and the case was dismissed. The file was sealed. And I certainly wish you and everyone else would respect that."
As WorldNetDaily reported in 2003, Ritter called for the ouster of President Bush for what he felt were unnecessary and murderous actions in the conflict with Iraq.
"I would be in favor of the impeachment of President Bush for high crimes and misdemeanors," the former Marine told WND. "Murder is a high crime and misdemeanor, and I can't think of any better definition than murder when he talks about American service members and putting them in a war which is not only illegal but is based on a foundation of lies."
Ritter also said that impeachment and indictment were legitimate issues.
"What I would find to be grounds of impeachment is the president lying to the American people," he said. "I believe the president has lied to the American people. I believe the vice president has lied to the American people."
Ritter claimed the 2001 charge was a smear campaign in response to his repeated criticism of U.S. policy in the Middle East.
Previous stories:
College won't cancel Ritter speech
College reconsiders Ritter speech
Feds reviewing Ritter's records
Ritter admits it: 'I was arrested'
Transcript
of Scott Ritter on CNN
N.Y. media: Ritter sought girls twice
Ritter's attorney confirms arrest
Reports claim Ritter arrested in sex sting
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