this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2024
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That sting was run back in May by Millersville Assistant Police Chief Shawn Taylor and a colorful cast of characters he assembled for the operation.

Among the revelations, the recordings show:

  • Taylor did not involve other law enforcement agencies with more experience in such operations because of his unfounded conspiracy theories that prominent state officials are involved in child sex trafficking.
  • Members of a private group posed online as minors — despite Millersville police being told by prosecutors that the sting would be legal only if sworn law enforcement officers were the ones doing the work.
  • Shawn Taylor told one operative that investigators would be using "pre-signed search warrants," which would likely be illegal, according to experts.
  • Police arrested one suspect then, when he refused to talk to investigators, they turned him over to the private group for questioning.
  • A Millersville detective boasted that the suspect was being taken to a jail where it was likely that he might not come out alive.

Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20240717120405/https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/franklin-politics/disturbing-recordings-from-inside-child-predator-sting-shows-police-maga-operatives-ignoring-laws

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[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 282 points 3 months ago (2 children)

And start whacking some — you know, not to make it political — but whole leftist, corrupt, pedophile, this evil thing that's taken over Nashville,

Hmm, yes, it's the left that need to tone down the rhetoric.

[–] gibmiser@lemmy.world 152 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Let's see, start from the conclusion that liberals are satanic pedophiles. Use non-law enforcement to identify liberals who must also be pedophiles. Entrap them and use whatever means necessary to take these evil satanic pedophiles off the streets.

Sure, what could go wrong?

[–] radivojevic@discuss.online 79 points 3 months ago (2 children)

They are just desperate to find a Liberal child molester

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 127 points 3 months ago (7 children)
[–] billiam0202@lemmy.world 41 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Kinda funny how the party that isn't sexually repressive or regressive doesn't prey on children. I wonder what inferences could be drawn between conservative rhetoric and the sheer number of conservatives busted for child abuse. Is it just the power imbalance?

[–] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 53 points 3 months ago (5 children)

I think there are many reasons. For one thing, they have the Christian vote locked up, and the sort of Christianity they preach is one where you can do any manner of atrocious things, ask forgiveness, be forgiven, then repeat the cycle. So many clergy that are even in prison for being sex offenders still get defended by their former parishioners.

Another is definitely a power imbalance thing, especially when there is a lot of evidence tying psychopathy to business success. Lacking any real moral code is fine when you're a rich CEO. As Trump said, "when you're wealthy, they let you do it."

A third is that there are a lot of Republican voters who are so rabidly anti-left that they will literally elect a sex offender (Jim Jordan) over a Democrat.

I'm sure people can suggest others.

[–] TimLovesTech@badatbeing.social 18 points 3 months ago

Well this is all part of the cult indoctrination that has made conspiracy theories a cornerstone of how they interact and interpret the world.

It's going to take decades (or likely generations) to undo the damage done to the critical thinking of so much of this country. The fact that as you stated they would elect known sex offenders (Trump/Jim Jordon/Matt Gaetz) but still think it's the "Radical Left" that is the demonic pedophiles is just cognitive dissonance at an alarming level.

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[–] NABDad@lemmy.world 15 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Here's the thing. I really believe that the Republican party is loaded to the gills with criminal creeps. However, if I were to share this list with any of my right-wing Christian acquaintances or (sigh) family, they'll respond with "Democrats are worse!"

Is there a similar list of Democrat Sexual predators, abusers, and enablers?

Without a corresponding list, it makes it look like it's just trying to make Republicans look bad (as opposed to just showing what they are).

[–] flicker@lemmy.world 21 points 3 months ago (4 children)

Why not just ask them to provide one? If they're even worse, it should be easy to find supporting information.

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[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 55 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Which is funny to me, because I've had two coworkers in two different orgs catch a set of bracelets for enticement of a minor using a computer, and neither one was a liberal.

[–] kescusay@lemmy.world 37 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Weirdly, same. Two different guys, both publicly pillars of the community. Both arrested for raping kids. In each case, they were just not at work one day, and our supervisors would just say, "So-and-so isn't employed here anymore."

[–] Passerby6497@lemmy.world 24 points 3 months ago

That happened to me (kinda) the first time. I found out early because I got a a call about taking the on call phone (while already on call), and we were told not to talk about anything about it and he was totally coming back. But looking up the filing, we knew he wasn't ever coming back.

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[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 178 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Holy fucking shit. This is BAD.

Two of the men were introduced to the group as "prayer warriors," who are part of a group that believes the battle against human trafficking is a battle against "demons."

Frightening that we have so many of these lunatics in the country right now, pushing and pulling one another further into psychotic delusions.

"And start whacking some — you know, not to make it political — but whole leftist, corrupt, pedophile, this evil thing that's taken over Nashville," Sawyer said.

The inability to see the difference between pedophiles and your political opponents suggests to me that you aren't of sound mind to vote, posses firearms, or be around children.

This shit should be investigated by the FBI. This police chief should be suspended during the investigation, as well as any officers who participated. This kind of bat-shit crazy thinking must not be tolerated in positions of great power over others. This is truly terrifying.

[–] rusticus@lemm.ee 114 points 3 months ago

This shit should be investigated by the FBI.

The FBI already investigate LEO across the country more than a decade ago and found that white supremacists were actively infiltrating our police force. Nothing has been done about this finding.

This is truly terrifying.

Yes. It is.

[–] freshcow@lemmy.world 102 points 3 months ago

I think the implications are pretty clear when you read between the lines of painting your political enemies as pedophiles. It's a very easy way to rile people up into a lynch mob. Here's the fascist playbook on this: target a minority (LGBTQ in particular) as some kind of deviant or predator, legitimize vigilante violence against this group, extend that to the next group or anyone who tries to defend the first group. Rinse and repeat until you are able to consolidate power and successfully kill or imprison your political enemies with impunity.

[–] retrospectology@lemmy.world 96 points 3 months ago (18 children)

I hate people who make a big show of being "outraged" over child abuse as a way to cover for their own repugnant, violent beliefs and behaviors.

It's the same way some prisoner who murdered an entire family will beat or kill pedophiles in prison because he thinks he somehow redeems him on some level by having a "code". In reality he's still a massive piece of shit.

It's deeply self-serving exploitation of a very serious issue.

[–] bolexforsoup@lemmy.blahaj.zone 69 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

For those who didn’t read the article, take note that one of the women involved ran for office as a Republican (obviously) and has been indicted for child abuse

[–] TheFriar@lemm.ee 16 points 3 months ago

But it’s also very much like how homophobes watch gay porn. These people are deeply religious, and that fruit comes from the same tree that gives us the virulent homophobes talking about how “everyone has gay thoughts and it’s our duty as soldiers of Christ to ignore them because it’s the demons.” They think everyone else is just acting on the same impulses they have, and this is just them being weak to “demon influence.”

These people are dangerous for kids just like they’re dangerous for everyone else.

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[–] frezik@midwest.social 80 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You gotta make an effort to go up against child predators and manage to come out looking like the bad guy.

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[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 73 points 3 months ago (5 children)

Isn’t there some other word for “ignoring laws”?

[–] Rocketpoweredgorilla@lemmy.ca 61 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] samus12345@lemmy.world 11 points 3 months ago

That's the one, "being Republican."

[–] SturgiesYrFase@lemmy.ml 21 points 3 months ago
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[–] treadful@lemmy.zip 49 points 3 months ago

Back in 2018, Sawyer took a Tucson TV crew to a camp that he suggested might have been used for child sex trafficking.

In fact, police said it was just a camp used by homeless families.

The problem of unhoused people has been solved. Homeless are now pedophiles. Let them get killed in jail.

[–] someguy3@lemmy.ca 47 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Isn't the term for this extrajudicial?

"And start whacking some — you know, not to make it political — but whole leftist, corrupt, pedophile, this evil thing that's taken over Nashville," Sawyer said.

There it is.

[–] Nougat@fedia.io 16 points 3 months ago

you know, not to make it political

Immediately makes it political

[–] modifier@lemmy.ca 41 points 3 months ago (1 children)

What happens when you give people with bizarre conspiracy theories a gun and a badge?

Well here in America of A, that's just Wednesday.

[–] cheese_greater@lemmy.world 14 points 3 months ago

Jus another day -ending in -day

[–] Yewb@lemmy.world 41 points 3 months ago

The best way to not be caught as a child predator is to pretend you are fighting them.

[–] SirDerpy@lemmy.world 35 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (16 children)

NewsChannel 5 Investigates discovered hours and hours of videos where Shawn Taylor has appeared on podcasts associated with the widely discredited QAnon conspiracy theories.

Source: link in the OP article to part one of an eight part series.

Editorial: A local news station investigated, uncovered evidence, and appear to be interviewing those involved about what they find analyzing the evidence, then reporting in a series of lengthy articles full of direct quotes. True journalism lives.

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[–] octopus_ink@lemmy.ml 35 points 3 months ago (1 children)

POLICE and MAGAS ignoring laws that are inconvenient for them??!! I'm shocked, SHOCKED I tell you.

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[–] SuddenDownpour@sh.itjust.works 33 points 3 months ago

Your average law enforcement agent already has a worrying tendency to be a moron. Now imagine if that person is also a conspiracy theorist.

[–] jpreston2005@lemmy.world 33 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Ok, from everything I know about republicans, there is undoubtedly a massive amount of projection going on. How long until we find out that him and 90% of his little renegade militia task force have CP on their devices? Maybe a a year? couple months?

[–] thesporkeffect@lemmy.world 13 points 3 months ago

He's going to claim it was evidence from some minority he citizens-arrested

[–] enbyecho@lemmy.world 31 points 3 months ago

Just a little preview of a second Trump presidency...

[–] Toastypickle@lemmy.world 28 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The whole city government of Millersville, TN is a corrupt as fuck shit show. News channel 5 and specifically Phil Williams have been covering all the goings on for years if anyone wants to do a deep dive. Honestly the right thing to do at this point would be to fire all the commissioners, police, fire, literally everyone and one of the neighboring city's just absorb the town. Lived there 9 years and it's nothing but an embarrassment.

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[–] BigMacHole@lemm.ee 26 points 3 months ago

I don't care if Republicans are Kidnapping their Neighbors and Torturing them. The LEFT needs to COOL it with their Violence!

[–] ChaoticEntropy@feddit.uk 21 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Did they do anything right...?

[–] 20hzservers@lemmy.world 14 points 3 months ago (2 children)

I mean in the most general of sense going after pedos is good, they just immediately went wrong from there on out.

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[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 16 points 3 months ago

And now that private group and any police officers associated with them are all going to prison for lengthy sentences.

Right America?

Right?

[–] MehBlah@lemmy.world 15 points 3 months ago

Of course. Now investigate them and discover they are the predators. Projection is emerging as their core trait.

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