Don't take this the wrong way I think this is horrible beyond a doubt. But unfortunately I've lived in Fitchburg for a couple years(not by choice). There are many people in that city of any age, who never progress beyond the mental capability or maturity of a 15 year old. There is no ghetto in Fitchburg, the entire city is a ghetto, and it's the largest city in the county. A county that has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in the state. And before any racist hate responses come, this is by far a majority white city neighborhood and county. In this region it is socially acceptable for 25-30+ year old men to date 14 15 year old girls, get them pregnant and marry them. It happens constantly. You can't possibly go this city and not feel depressed, it's horrific.
I am not defending this man, what he did was atrocious and he deserves to go jail. However I feel sad. Reading that he made his living trading magic cards at his age, gives insight into where he is in that community, a community I know, and those people in that particular city are severely handicapped. Imagine living in the world of "The Wire" as a ghetto youngster who lives to be middle aged with his main intellectual ability being magic cards. Dookie doesn't even come close to how inept this person must be.
Clearly the sex was consensual from this statement. I feel as tho this 54 year old man had the mind of a young teenager. So for him, especially considering the extensive conversations they surely must have had online, he was relating to someone of his own intellect.
I don't believe from what I read that he manipulated her in some sick fashion, but rather had genuine feelings for her.
Regardless none of this is any excuse, at the age of 54 you have more than enough opportunities to mature and grow into an adult. Regardless of your circumstances. He should under no circumstances should get away with this, and forever he should be labeled as a sex predator.
Rather I feel sad about the failure of America to take of itself, to take care of it's own people.
Fitchburg was the very first target to be bombed by Hitler in his war-plan to invade America. During WW2 it had over 40 factories producing equipment, planes, guns, ammo etc. For the military and was the most important manufacturing center for the war effort on the eastern seaboard. Today there is one factory operating in Fitchburg which produces a cheap vodka.
During the 50's and 60's that followed Fitchburg blossomed to have over 20 daily newspapers operating in town, It was cut down to 1 years before I lived there 10 years ago.
This is a violent white city.
"Fitchburg, Massachusetts has a violent crime rate of 3150 incidents per 100,000 people. This compares with a rate of 494 in Massachusetts and a rate of 676 nationally."
http/www.homesurfer.com/crimereports/view/crime_report.cfm?state=MA&area=Fitchburg
That is a rate 8 times the state average, and while the city only posts an unemployment of 11.4%. It is in fact far far higher, due to the complete lack of optimism of anyone in the city as well as the stubborn attitude of residents unwilling to leave the city. I predict that unemployment is at least 22% and underemployment is over 50% for the city of Fitchburg.
This whole story is disturbed. However if the government payed any attention to this city at all, they would find hundreds of similar and far more guilty perpetrators including baby-rapists with ease. This is merely a sign of the times...