A high school principal in Arizona has been arrested for allegedly trying to persuade a 12-year-old girl to get “comfortable” in bed, take nude photos and perform sexual acts — telling her, “I don’t care how old you are,” according to authorities.
Joseph Kinney, the 42-year-old principal of Buckeye Union High School in Buckeye City, used an anonymous social media app called “Whisper” to talk to someone he believed was a preteen girl — but was actually a secret agent. was For court documents Acquired by Fox 10 Phoenix.
Investigators zeroed in on Kinney in July when he responded to an agent’s post saying, “Bored, what should I do,” the station said.
Kinney — using the handle “Macabre Pure” — suggested she “get comfortable in her bed” and undress.
The agent, still posing as a young girl, told her that she was only 12 years old – a strange request.
“I don’t care how old you are,” Kinney replied sarcastically, according to court documents.
The conversation later turned more sexual — the principal allegedly requested the girl be sent naked, the documents said.
He also said he would like to “rescue” her grandmother from her Oregon home – where the agent claimed they were staying – so he could perform multiple sexual acts on her, According to the Arizona Republic.
The feds tracked his IP address, then raided his Goodyear, Arizona home on September 3. That same day, he was picked up during a traffic stop and placed on administrative leave, the Republic said, posing in a picture of the pervy principal wearing a flower-patterned shirt in his mugshot.
According to documents shared by Fox 10, Kinney later admitted to police that he “spoke to multiple women on Whisper who claimed to be minors,” according to documents shared by Fox 10.
“[Kinney] “said they never actually believed they were minors and assumed they were all adults and were only engaged in imaginary chat and role playing,” the investigators wrote.
“[Kinney] One woman remembered she was nine years old, but her photo didn’t look nine, so he assumed she was an adult.”
The principal later said he “felt stupid and ashamed of his decisions” and claimed he would “never engage in sexual acts with a child,” court documents said.
Kinney has been charged with solicitation of a minor for sexual abuse and is being held on $60,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 12.
If he is released at any time, he will have to wear an electronic monitor – and will be banned from talking to minors or accessing the internet.
“This is another stark reminder of how important it is for parents to be aware of what websites their children visit,” said former FBI agent James Eggleston. AZ told the family about the case.
“Unfortunately, there are many cases where people interested in children try to work themselves into a position through their professional employment or side interest where they have access to children,” he continued.
“People should be aware of that as well.”
Post Arizona principal busted for having sex with 12-year-old girl, telling her: ‘I don’t care how old you are’ appeared first New York Post.