U.S. Attorney Caught in Sex Sting Tries Suicide - What's up with Florida & all these cases?

[autorank]

What's up in Florida? This is about the 12th 13th story in the past few weeks
on Florida political figures getting caught in child porn/prostitution stings.

It's worse than Foleygate by a long shot.

Here's an assistant US Attorney caught going to Michigan to meet a kid under 12.
Thats Assistant United States Attorney


Sheriff: Prosecutor Tried Jail Suicide
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5icZT2eJIwU5VjIl_EPmFCLPSSu4A



By DAVID N. GOODMAN – 3 hours ago 9/20/2007

DETROIT (AP) — A federal prosecutor from Florida who authorities say flew to Michigan for a sexual
encounter with a 5-year-old girl tried to hang himself in his jail cell Thursday but was stopped in
time, the sheriff said.

John D.R. Atchison, 53, used a sheet in an attempted hanging around 4 a.m., said Sanilac County
Sheriff Virgil Strickler. SNIP

The 119-bed Sanilac County Jail is in Sandusky, about 75 miles north of Detroit. U.S. marshals
sometimes use it to house federal prisoners. Marshals moved Atchison after the suicide attempt, the
sheriff said. Atchison's destination was not known.

Atchison was charged with three felonies, the most serious of which is crossing state lines
with intent to have sex with someone under 12. Conviction carries a minimum 30-year prison sentence
and a maximum of life.


==========================================================

Lawyer in internet sting

By staff writers

September 18, 2007 12:07pm

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22439352-662,00.html

AN assistant US attorney from Florida has been arrested for allegedly flying to Michigan to have sex
with a five-year-old girl.

John D.R. Atchison, 53, was arrested after he participated in internet conversatons with a detective
posing as a mother who was interested in letting men have sex with her young daughter, Associated
Press reported.

According to court documents, Atchison initiated the online chat on August 29. His correspondence
with the detective lasted several weeks.

At one point, Atchison allegedly said: "I'm always gentle and loving; not to worry; no damage ever;
no rough stuff ever ever".

He has been charged with using interstate communication to entice a minor to have sexual contact, and
travelling across state lines with the intent of engaging in illicit sexual contact. If convicted of
both charges, he faces up to 40 years in prison, Associated Press reported.

"There wasn't much reaction from him at all," Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel said.

[iconoclastic cat]

1. Have you *been* to Florida?

There seems to be a weird Republican paradise in progress there. This is a natural side effect.

[autorank]

2. Late 80's fairly often, South Florida and Orlando - it was great..now this!

Someone down there has been forwarding me these stories, and the frequence in the past 3-4 weeks is
amazing. I've never seen anything like this. The U.S. Attorney caught my eye though. That's a very powerful position. He's in the Panhandle but damn...

[SteppingRazor]

3. Not true.

While it is sadly true that Florida has one of the highest child victimization rates in the country, it shares that top-tier level with Iowa, W. Va. and the two bluest areas of the country, Massachusetts and D.C.

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm05/figure3_2.htm


By the way, Florida is one of the most purplish states in the country, with near parity between conservatives and progressives (hence the razor-thin 2000 election). To call my state some sort of bright red GOP paradise is simply untrue.

[iconoclastic cat]

6. Maybe I just went to the wrong neighborhoods. nt

[SteppingRazor]

7. It does vary wildly around the state.

Here in Broward, we have one of only two cities in the country with a city council that is majority gay (Wilton Manors) -- you can imagine, I'm sure, that it's not exactly Republican heaven. Conversely, up in the panhandle, things tend to get a little redder. South of me, Miami-Dade County in and of itself is split wildly between bluish areas (Miami Beach) and red ones (Little Havana).

Like any other place, Florida includes all political philosophies and all walks of life (as stated above, one could even make the argument that we're more diverse than most other states in this regard).

All that said, I certainly grant that Florida has a definite weirdness factor. Loony stuff tends to happen here a lot more often than it does elsewhere. But to me, that's one of the things that makes the state great. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.

[autorank]

9. Great link, great map. Very helpful. Thanks. Here's a look at the map and a tinyurl

Tinyurl for site: http://tinyurl.com/yohpp2
(cut and paste the URL. It doesn't open well going through DU for some reason)

Code: The darker the color, the greater the child victimization

[bullimiami]

4. why did they stop him? they put rabid animals down.

theres nothing left for him but disgrace and the rest of his life being tortured in prison. the humane thing would have been to let him go.

[autorank]

8. You would be amazed at the # of stories comming out of there.

They're non stop in the last few weeks. It's a national problem and Florida is not unique but
so many busts, so many MSM stories. Yikes.

You're right about this guy having nothing to look forward to but disgrace.

[Catherine Vincent]

5. I just got back from Florida.

Destin, Fort Walton, Panama Beach City areas. Loved it!