Googling For Prospective Date Unmasks Fugitive

pgrote writes "So you're a guy on the run - you decide to switch towns, put down some roots and start dating again. But if your special new friend happens to be someone who checks her potential dates by searching on Google, you're in trouble. Seems that LaShawn Pettus-Brown was caught by his date's discovery of him on an FBI site of fugitives, even after local Cincinnati news media couldn't find him. Score one for the Internet."

Now that's journalism

[Anonymous Coward]

So the 'local Cincinnati news media' couldn't even perform a simple google search and find out for themselves? Makes you wonder about the standards and quality of what actually does make it into the news there.

IQ test

[Lurkingrue]

OK -- now how stupid is a fugitive for giving his real name to anyone?

Hrm

[iswm]

I would think getting your name changed would help quite a bit. Seems kind of silly to post your real name in the google personals if you're wanted by the FBI.

Double edge sword

[cybermint]

The internet has great power, indeed. But this power is not without detriment, namely to privacy. While I may sleep a little better knowing a fugative has been brought to justice, I am also worried about how my own personal information may be widely available to those who would use it maliciously. Not trying to make any conclusions here; just food for thought.

Or more brains

[A nonymous Coward]

At least enough to not use it once it's been soiled .

Re:IQ test

[sirsnork]

Espcially when you're 6 foot 7.. how many people would there be in the world that have that name and are that tall

Got nothing on me!

[adept256]

You should all try your own names.

I tried googling on my name and I got no hits... I guess I avoid using my real name on the 'net most of the time ;)

Hey, read the article!

[marnanel]

If the Cincinatti media had googled him, they'd have found exactly what they already knew: that there was a warrant out for his arrest. The only sort of person who could have found both halves of the story by googling is the sort of person who did: someone who knew him and his whereabouts personally, but needed Google to tell her that he was a fugitive.

LaShawn

[Anonymous Coward]

This is a little offtopic, and a trifle condescending, but do we care enough about children not to give them asinine names?
How many Trawandas, DeLeroys, and Yasomethins do we need?
When you're thinking about naming your twins Orangello and Lemonjello , you should first consider whether or not sharing your genetic information is wise.
True, sex feels great, but consider the ascetic pleasure of knowing that you chose not to pass on a taste for absurd names to your progeny. Europe is clearly leading in this area.
I don't know if this is becasue the women are just too chic to consider motherhood, the men are too busy planting their seed where it cannot grow, or they are simply given to better taste.
Regardless, please do us all a favor and get a proper book of names, and don't give a child a name that is going to raise hackles for their whole life.
There are far better ways to express individuality than naming a poor infant LeDeZeppelin.
Thank you for your attention.
FINEX RANTEX

When will people learn?

[saskboy]

If you are going to commit a serious crime these days, you'd better make darn sure that you know your way around a computer before using one on the Internet. The trails that we leave are beyond most people's comprehensions, and I would hate to think what could be done to me or any other ordinary person if someone set their mind to mischief.

Re:Now that's journalism

[Awptimus Prime]

If they would have done a google search on him, they just would have found news articles.

His new home address didn't show up, nothing about his new home was there. This was pretty much left for anyone who had just met him to give 'em the google to find out he's in trouble.

What this article demonstrates is quite easily summed up in one phrase: ignorant sensationalism

There is a trait highly common in criminals

[Sycraft-fu]

They are dumb. Seriously. If all criminals were highly intelligent, we'd be in real trouble. Fortunately, most are pretty stupid. Hence, they make stupid mistakes, and those mistakes lead to their arrest and conviction. Real life is usually not like Law and Order where the cops have to untangle a complecated web to get at the truth, usually the criminals do something really dumb that leads right too them.

That's not to say there haven't been some really smart crooks, the smartest of which we likely know nothing of, but 99.99% of them are dumb.

So no, this is not at all supprising.

Oh, com'on, are you a leper?

[raehl]

Seriously - in the online dating world, if you can write a complete sentence and don't look like a complete letter, you can find a date with a moderately attractive woman, assuming you target the age when they're finally sick of dating assholes. It's not that hard, really.

Re:There is a trait highly common in criminals

[blockhouse]

99.99% of them are dumb.

99.99% of the criminals we catch and convict are dumb.

Smart criminals are smart enough not to get caught. Heck, you never hear about the smart criminals, because no one suspects smart criminals of criminal activity.

Re:I did the same thing with a neighbor...

[bilbobuggins]

ffs, 1984 anyone?

Re:IQ test

[Ironica]

They were so concerned about cutting through the bureaucratic red tape they forgot the red tape was there for a reason.

People always forget this. Usually, about the time they start going off about how government should work more like private enterprise, so it can be more "efficient." Trouble is, the government is seen by too many people as a set of deep pockets with disinterested shareholders (yeah, that's you and me, folks). So the tape isn't just there because it's pretty (after all, if that were the case, it would be silver, not red), it's there to keep oversight.

Granted, it could use an overhaul now and then, but it needs to be carefully thought out.

Re:LaShawn

[warrantyVoidIfRemove]

It's not hard, Skip and Chuck and Randy they are all _verbs_ m'kay

I was just thinking how long its been since I gave someone a good randying...

Re:LaShawn

[poot_rootbeer]

This is a little offtopic, and a trifle condescending, but do we care enough about children not to give them asinine names?
How many Trawandas, DeLeroys, and Yasomethins do we need?

How are those any different from Steven, Michael, or John -- other than that they don't come from your particular cultural background?

As Frank Zappa once said about his children--whom he named Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emukkha, and Diva Muffin--"it's the last name that gets them in trouble".

Re:Unbelievably cheap bastard

[WuphonsReach]

You left out a possibility. He's a moron who thinks Applebee's is classy.

Given the circumstances of his arrest. . .

What? It's not? Gee, that'll be news to the local residents around these parts... but then, that's what I get for living in a town where a $10/head meal is considered expensive.