Independence man indicted in rape of girl, 13

The grand jury indictment against an Independence man on rape charges illustrates an overwhelming kind of crime local police investigate on a daily basis.

The case against Shawn Patrick Murphy, 45, is an example of what the Independence Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit investigates: An older man who allegedly used the Internet to lure a young girl into meeting him for sex.

A Jackson County Grand Jury Wednesday indicted Murphy on 15 felony charges. He was charged with two counts of first-degree statutory rape, three counts of first-degree statutory sodomy, two counts of second-degree statutory rape, four counts of second-degree statutory sodomy and two counts of second-degree child molestation.

He is being held at the Jackson County Detention Center on $250,000 cash only bond.

The supposed crimes happened between January 2009 and early March when the girl was 13 years old and later turned 14.

Detectives with the department’s Special Victims Unit investigated the case.

Detectives frequently make cases against men in their 40s and 50s who engage in sexual activity with girls typically between 12 to 16 years old who they meet via chat rooms or social networking, according to the unit’s supervisor, Capt. Ken Bergman.

Bergman said he’s concerned about what he sees as a rise in the sheer volume of men luring young girls via the Internet.

“We’re starting to see this consistently,” Bergman said.

“We’re seeing a rise in it (sexual exploitation). And it’s getting (close to when) the kids are going to be out of school and they’re going to be on them even more.”

In Murphy’s case, he allegedly met the girl online. Court records showed the girl communicated with Murphy through a Facebook and Yahoo! Mail account. Later, they would communicate via text messaging.

The predators use much younger ages and fake user names to aid in luring the girls, Bergman said.

Murphy used the name “Rob” whose age was 13 years old, according to court documents. Later, he told her he was 19 years old and later said he was in his 20s.

A school official became suspicious and contacted police telling them a juvenile student had met a 19-year-old male online.

Murphy, according to documents, ran a disc jockey service. Court papers did not detail what Murphy told the girl to lure her in. “They’re doing everything they can to befriend these potential targets,” Bergman said.

The Special Victim’s Unit, with seven assigned detectives working full time, is the busiest unit in the department.

Officers battle on a daily basis the influx of men sharing pictures and videos of pre-pubescent girls engaged in “all out sexual activity,” Bergman said.

“We’ve seen rape scenes of 7 year olds that they’re selling to each over the Internet,” Bergman said. “It’s disgusting and it’s being shared consistently.”

The barrage of sexually-themed pictures and videos and chatroom banter most often transitions into scheduled meetings for sexual activity, Bergman said.

“They’re not just doing it to get off on a computer,” Bergman said. “They’re doing it because it’s a build up. It’s excitement and enticement.”



Tips for parents

n Parents need to talk to their children about their computer usage. Engage your children about the dangers of chatrooms.
n Parents need to be aware of signs they could be talking with a predator. Signs to look for is if the child is spending an inordinate amount of time on the Internet or changes in his or her behavior.

n Parents, if they suspect suspicious behavior, need to check the computer or cell phones. Or call the Independence Police Department at 816-325-7330 and have detectives check the software.