Scary chats and a repeat 'predator'

It’s busy at our undercover house in Long Beach, California. We asked our previous suspect to go out the back way, so he wouldn’t scare off our next visitor.

Female decoy: Hi!  How are you doing?  Come on in.  (laughs) What do you do?

Paul Clemente is a 22-year-old college student from San Diego. Clemente spoke online with someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

(chat log) pol_clemente: too young then. like older guys?

red_poet13: ya

pol_clemente: dnt tell me ur already doing the.....u know?

At first, Clemente says she’s too young, but soon asks her if she’s had sex, and what positions she’s used.

Finally, he gets down to business…

Pol_clemente (Chat log): So when’s the time I can come to your house? of course when your mom is not around. I’m asking when, so we can go out.

pol_clemente: r u good doing it on a hot tub?

red_poet13: doing wut?

pol_clemente: the sex

pol_clemente: was it inside the house?

red_poet13: o ya

pol_clemente: hmmmmm

pol_clemente: ur making me horny

red_poet13: really?

Clemente asks if she’s had sex in a hot tub. When the decoy answers yes, he writes back:

“You’re making me horny.”

For good measure, he sends along this picture of his penis.   Then he tells her something that really surprises us...

pol_clelmente: “ur gonna be my first.”

That’s right, he may think she’s 13, but he’s the one who says he’s a virgin. Now, the he’s in the house.

Female decoy: Alright, can you pour me a drink really fast ‘cause—thanks.

Paul Clemente: Oh sure.

Decoy: Thanks. I’m just gonna go get my hair ready.  I’ll be right back.

Clemente: Take your time.

Decoy: I’m excited by the way.

Clemente: Me too.

Chris Hansen (walks out): So you’re excited too.  How ya doin’?

Clemente: I’m sorry.

Hansen: What’s wrong.

Clemente: I’m sorry.

Hansen: Please have a seat. 

Clemente: I’m sorry.  I’m sorry.

Hansen: What were you doing here?

Clemente: She said so excited to see me.

Hansen: She said she was excited to see you.

Clemente: Yeah.

As we’re having our conversation inside, outside the Long Beach police decide this is a good time to sneak into the backyard and arrest our earlier visitor.

Clemente: I didn’t say anything bad, sir.

Hansen: You didn’t say anything bad.

If he says he didn’t say anything bad. But what about what he showed her? Like the picture of his genitals?

Hansen: I wanna show you something.

Clemente: Sir, please.

Hansen: --you sent her that photograph.

Clemente: Sir, please.

Hansen: Is that?  Did you send that to her?

Clemente: Yes, sir.

Hansen: To somebody who said she was a 13-year-old girl.

Clemente: My God.

Hansen: Why did you think that—

Clemente: Sir, please.

Hansen: --that was an okay thing to do?

Clemente: Sir, she said it’s okay.

Hansen: She said it’s okay.  So because a 13-year-old girl says it okay, you do it. 

Clemente: Sir, please.  I’m not really bad person. Sir, please.

As for that claim that he didn’t say anything bad online? What about telling her he will perform oral sex on her?  Or asking her if she’s ever had anal sex?

Hansen: Have you ever had conversations like this with teenage girls on the Internet before?

Clemente: No, this is my first time.

Hansen: Your first time.

Clemente: Yes, please.

Hansen: You know, I hear that a lot. Can you imagine why I’m a little skeptical on that?

Clemente: Sir, please.

Hansen: Well, virtually everybody who walks in this house says the same thing.

Clemente: I’m sorry.

Hansen: And I’m guessing that not everybody’s telling the truth.

Clemente: Sir—sir, I’m sorry, sir.

And, as we suspected when Clemente first covered his face, he knows there are cameras in the house.

Hansen: Do you ever watch television?

Clemente: Yes, I know, sir.

Hansen: You know what?

Clemente: The show, Sir.

Hansen: The show.  Have you seen the show on television?

Clemente: Yes, a couple of times.

Hansen: A couple of times.  And you know what the show is called?

Clemente: Dateline.

Hansen: Dateline.  Dateline what? "To catch a predator."

Clemente: Sir, I’m not a real predator, sir.  But I’m just—

Hansen: You’re not a real predator.

Clemente: No, sir. I’m just—

Hansen: Just a pretend predator.

Clemente: No, I’m just curious.

Hansen: A curious predator.

Clemente: I’m not really a predator, sir.

Hansen: So you saw those other shows we did.

Clemente: Yes, sir.

Hansen: Then you probably know that I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC and you know the story we’re doing.

Clemente: Yes, sir.

Hansen: So, if there’s anything else you’d like to tell us, we’d like to hear it.  If not, you can walk out the door you came in.

Clemente: Yeah, please.  I’m just... I’m sorry.

And since he knows about our investigations, he probably knows what to expect when he steps outside. Clemente is arrested and charged with an attempted lewd act upon a child. He later pleaded not guilty.

Both he, and our earlier suspect who was in the backyard, are led away to be processed.

Back at the undercover house, a copy machine technician and father of three is coming to the door. He thinks he’s going to meet a 13-year-old for sex and lunch.

Female Decoy: Hi. Have a seat.  Will you pour me a drink please? Awesome.

Robert Salinas: Oh, yeah, sure.

Decoy: Awesome.  I’m just gonna go get my bikini on for the hot tub here, all right?

Meet 44-year-old Robert Salinas, screen name “bob10282001”. The decoy online told him she was 13 years. In his chat, Salinas seems to know what he is planning to do is wrong.

(chat log) bob10282001: I could get in trouble 4 making love to a minor

So it’s all the more disturbing when he asks if he can perform oral sex on her, and inquires,

bob10282001: do u masturbate?

He tells the decoy he will come by before he picks up his child at karate, and that he’ll bring sandwiches… and dessert.

bob10282001: Maybe bring ice cream i but on u and eat off your body.

Sure enough, here arrives, and he’s apparently a man of his word.

Decoy: Did you bring the sandwiches?

Salinas: Sure.

Decoy: Awesome.  I’ll be right back.

Salinas: Okay.

Hansen (steps out): Did you get something to drink right there?  Oh please have a seat.

Salinas: Yeah.

Hansen: What kind of sandwiches did you bring?

Salinas: Chicken.

Hansen: Chicken.  And so you were just gonna come over and have a little picnic today.  Was that the plan?

Salinas: Yeah and then go back to work.

Hansen: Then go back to work.  Where do you work?

Salinas: I work at a copy service.  We service copy machines.

Hansen: Copy machines.  And how long have you worked there?

Salinas: 20 years.

Hansen: 20 years. And so you left the office today to come over here to—

Salinas: I was out doing a service call.  I was—

Hansen: Oh, so you had some spare time while you’re out doing a service call.

Salinas: Yeah.

Hansen: And you thought you’d drop by and see your 13-year-old girlfriend you met online?

Salinas: Yeah, well.

Hansen: Yeah.  For a sandwich.

Salinas: Yes. I knew it was wrong, you know.

Hansen: You knew it was wrong.

Salinas: Yeah, yeah.  And I almost didn’t come. 

Salinas says he drove by twice before coming in, and admits he’s chatted online before with people who said they are underage.

Hansen: Do you have children?

Salinas: Yes I do.

Hansen: And how old are your kids?

Salinas: I have a 16 boy, and 11 girl, and 12, boy.

Hansen: Okay, so 11, 12, and 16.

Salinas: Yes.

Hansen: And this girl said she was 13.

Salinas: Thirteen.

Hansen: Right.  And so if one of your kids was home alone, and you’re out working…  and a guy came over to visit with your kids, would you be comfortable with that?

Salinas: No, no, that...

Hansen: So why is it okay for you to do it?

Salinas: It’s not okay.  No, you know, it’s not okay. You know, I deserve what you do to me.  But, you know, I beg for your forgiveness or give me a chance or something.

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

Salinas: I think you should look after me. And I won’t do it, you know, watch me very closely.  I won’t do it.  I could report to you guys or, you know, maybe I need this as a wake-up call to myself and—

Hansen: A wake-up call. Let me tell you what’s going on here.

Salinas: Tell me.

Hansen: I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC.  We’re doing a story on adults who try to meet children online for sex.  If there’s anything else you’d like to tell us about your situation, we’d like to hear it.  If not, you are obviously—

Salinas: No, not right now.

Hansen: --able to walk out the front door you came in.

Salinas takes his lunch to go, and is greeted rather cordially by the Long Beach police. Salinas is charged with an attempted lewd act upon a child.  Later, he pleaded not guilty.

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