If the police were really doing their jobs above board, they should be willing to release the unedited chat transcripts for the public to inspect. Perhaps it would uphold their actions, or rather condemn them. It should be up to the American public to decide.

@ Karen
I posted that sting operation story in one of the comments of an FAC story when it happened. I was happy FAC posted it as sometimes they do not post links and stories we submit.

On the one hand, this guy ruined his career and is facing serious issues because of it. On the other hand, he understood people are being arrested, charged and imprisoned for meeting a cop, not a young person. Yes the intent was most likely to meet a young person but if you did not actually meet that person but an adult, how can you be charged for a crime that was not actually committed?
Here is the answer. Before, in the past you were arrested for engaging in sexual activity with a minor. They eventually came up with a crime of “Traveling to meet a minor”. So even though a minor was not actually involved, the prosecutors argue that the crime was traveling to meet a minor which that person thought they were doing.
In basic terms, a sting operation just like when cops use flour as cocaine then arrest you for buying cocaine even though it was flour. It was the “Intent” clause that gets you.

When I was in law enforcement, I always rejected any positions that involved entrapment.