Scary chats and a repeat 'predator'

This is the third time we’ve set up an undercover house in California. For the Long Beach Police, it’s a big operation. Sergeant Lee DeBrabander is in charge.

Sgt. Lee DeBrabander: Just planning this, alone, was a huge event. We had surveillance all over the place in undercover vehicles.  We had the arrest team in place. We had in excess of 25 officers on this at any given time.

And it’s challenging for us as well, as more potential predators become aware of our investigations.  Look at a posting on the “Craigslist” Web site, presumably warning Internet predators that Dateline is in Long Beach.

On our first day, some show up, but never come in the door. One man doesn’t like what he sees, and pulls a U-turn even as the decoy waves him in.

Decoy: Do you want to sit down and get a drink? I’m just going to get something quickly, I’ll be right back.

Luciano Dimas: Yeah.

Decoy: Did you bring everything with you?

Dimas: Yeah.

Decoy: Awesome. Alright, I’ll be right back.

This man might have gotten a look at our camera crew behind the curtain.

Decoy: Do me a favor though, really, really quick, can you pour me a drink and I’ll be right back?

Dimas: No. (running out)

Decoy: Like two seconds, I promise, wait, wait, wait, stop. Come on, don’t you want to hang out in the hot tub?

Dimas: No .

Or, it could be that they’ve seen our investigations and become suspicious. But in the case of one man, we think we know exactly why he doesn’t come in the house.

41-year-old Matthew Bland, screenname, “blandmathw,” chatted online with someone who says he’s 13 years old.

Bland asks a boy, really an adult decoy, if he has ever had sex before, and explains the other sexual acts he says he will perform on the teen. He also sends along a picture of his genitals.

But when Bland approaches our house, hoping to meet a boy—we mistakenly send our female decoy to meet him. 

Decoy: Hi how are you?

Bland: Hi, is Timothy here?

Decoy: Timothy?

Bland: Yeah.

Decoy: Umm, I don’t think so.

Bland: Oh, maybe I got the wrong address. This is 5278 correct?

Decoy: Yes.

Bland: Huh. my apologies, I must have gotten the wrong address. Thank you.

He has the right address, but remember according to his chat, he was expecting a young boy. Bland tries to leave, but the Long Beach police have another plan. Even though Bland didn’t enter the house, his explicit online chat, and his showing up at the house are enough for him to be charged with  one count of an attempted lewd act upon a child.

He later pleaded no contest.

At our undercover house, other men keep arriving. Matthew Nash, a 36-year-old musician’s screen name is “sugardavis.”  He drove about an hour to get to the house.

Female decoy: How you doing?

Matty Nash: Not bad.

Decoy: Good.

(chat log) sugardavis: we were just getting to the good part too...naked in the hot tub lol!

susiethatsme14: hehehe

susiethatsme14: ok we gonna get in hot tub nekid then wat we do

sugardavis: kiss, touch, talk dirty, massage, smoke weed

sugardavis: after we tub, l want to lay out a sheet on the floor, and put oil over all of our bodies

Nash was told he was chatting online with a thirteen year old girl.  He talks about getting naked in a hot tub with her, smoking marijuana and putting oil all over each other’s bodies.  That’s apparently why he’s decided to come inside.

Decoy:  C’mon in.  Are you excited?

Nash:   Yeah. I’m excited. Yeah, It was definitely a long drive—you know, coming down here and stuff.

Decoy:  Did you bring any weed?

Nash:   Mm-mm (negative).

Decoy: No?

Nash: No.

Decoy: Why?

Chris Hansen (walks out): You didn’t bring your drums or—

Nash: No.

Hansen: Why don’t you have a seat right over there?

Nash:  Noooo!

Hansen: I need to talk to you for a minute, sir.

Nash:  Mm-mm (negative).

Outside, the Long Beach police are waiting. At the processing center,  investigators find condoms, baby oil, and a vibrator in that bag Nash was carrying.

And he tells the police he’s married.

Officer: How long have you been married?

Nash: 13 years.

Officer: Ever been caught doing this before?

Nash: No.

Officer: Is she aware of this type of behavior?

Nash: Yes. I have, we’ve seen a counselor together for sexual stuff that I have done, meeting people from the internet and...

He also tells the police he and his wife have been to counseling because he’s met others online for sex.

Sgt. DeBrabander says the consequences of arrests like this one impact suspects’ families.

Sgt. Lee DeBrabander: Those are the people I really feel sorry for.  They had no idea.  It was totally out of their control. And now because of the actions of this one person—they’re affecting all these other people who they’re supposed to love and care for.

Nash pleaded not guilty to one count of an attempted lewd act on a child.

In the meantime, it’s getting busy at the house.  And the men who show up are a little more willing to stay a while— like 24-year-old Selvin Galeano, driving up in his customized Nissan Altima.

Female decoy: Hey!  Come on in.  Sorry.  I still have to do my hair. 

Selvin Galeano: I don’t have service.  I don’t know if you tried calling me.

Decoy: Sorry about that.  It’s just been crazy trying to get my hair and everything.  Just have a seat.  Can you get me a drink?

Galeano works installing custom stereo systems.

(chat log) nismo05007: r u really 13

samantha_gurl01: yea

nismo05007: r u still a virgin

samantha_gurl01: no

nismo05007: when was the last time u got laid

samantha_gurl01: like 4 months ago

nismo05007: i c

nismo05007: did u like it

samantha_gurl01: totaly

nismo05007: nice

samantha_gurl01: do u like it

nismo05007: u like oral

nismo05007: i love it

He chatted online (using the screen name “nismo05007”) with a girl who said she was 13. He asks if she’s a virgin, if she’s tried oral sex. And he says he’ll lick her all over her body.

Decoy: Alright I’ll be right back okay?

Galeano: Alright

Hansen (walks out): That’s quite a car you’ve got out there.

Galeano: Thanks.

Hansen: Why don’t you have a seat.

Galeano: What is this for?

Hansen: You have a seat.  What have you got going on today?

Galeano: Nothing.  Just hanging out.

Hansen: Hanging out?  And you were gonna come here to hang out today?

Galeano: Well yeah.  I got to go to my friend’s house after. So she just told me she lived down here too.

Hansen: Who is she?

Galeano: Oh I met her a couple days ago.

Hansen: Yeah.  And where did you meet her?

Galeano: Online.

Hansen: Online?

Galeano: Yeah.

Hansen: And how old is she?

Galeano: She told me she was 16, 17.

Hansen: She told you—that she was 16 or 17?

Galeano: Uh-huh (affirms).

Hansen: And you know that’s not true.

Galeano: How old is she?

Hansen: She told you.

Galeano: First she told me 13, and I was like—are you sure you want to talk?  She’s like, yeah, sure.

Hansen: So that 16, 17 thing was a lie you just told?

Galeano: Well at first I thought, no, I think you’re 16 or 17.  You look 16, 17.  Send me a picture.

Hansen: You know, I read the chat log.

Galeano: Oh, you did?

Hansen: Yeah.

Galeano: Okay.

Hansen: So I’m you might as well go ahead and start telling the truth now.

Galeano: Okay.  Yeah.  She told me she was—

Hansen: Thirteen?

Galeano: Right.

Then we hear the same story we’ve heard many times before.

Galeano: ‘cause I never chatted with anybody like that.

Hansen: So this is the first time?

Galeano: First time.

Hansen:  Did you bring condoms?

Galeano: I don’t carry ‘em—well—they’re in my car.

Hansen: You have condoms in your car?

Galeano: Yeah.

Hansen: What does that say about your intent here?

Galeano: No, well, if I was gonna bring condoms here, I would have just brought them.

Hansen: Right.  Or you could see how things go, and go out to the car and get them.

Galeano: Yeah.  But—

Hansen: In case somebody caught you here.  And you had them in your pocket.

Galeano: Right.

Hansen: Well, what do you think should happen to you?

Galeano: I know I really regret this.

Hansen: You regret it?

Galeano: Right.

Hansen: You ever watch television?

Galeano: Most of the time I’m working.

Hansen: Well there’s something you gotta know.  And that is, I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC.  And we’re doing a story on adults who try to meet—

Galeano: Oh!

Hansen: -- kids on the Internet for sex.

He leaves us with an apology.

Galeano: It’s not right to just go in and talk to any young girl or person.

Just like the other men, Galeano will be charged with one count of an attempted lewd act upon a child. He later pleaded not guilty.

MORE FROM DATELINE

Dateline Section Front

Mystery at Lost Dog Road Slideshow: Photos in the Bob Duke case When The Smoke Clears   Sneak peek: When The Smoke Clears Slideshow: The Christie Fleming murder Transcript: Dan Brown and Secrets Of The Lost Symbol Through The Pouring Rain In Plain Sight: Jaycee Dugard Timeline: Jaycee Dugard's kidnapping The Michael Jackson Tapes Dateline Section Front   Add Dateline headlines to your news reader: