Remember Dustin McCombs, the rapist suspect who taunted the police in Facebook? Not surprisingly, he was captured by U.S. Marshals in Ohio after their colleagues from the Gulf Coast Regional Task in Birmingham gave them a tip about his whereabouts, presumably using internet address location information.
Because, you know, if you are running away from justice, the last thing you want to do is taunting and talking with the police through the internet, that place in which everything gets logged and located unless you know what the hell you are doing (and this guy obviously didn’t know what the hell he was doing).
McCombs contacted the police in Facebook to tell them he was running away and that they weren’t going to be able catch him. He said he was going to turn himself in once he had a lawyer and the money for the bail, and protested about being put up in their “Creep of the Week” Facebook page before being even convicted (he was right about this one).
According to the Jefferson police, “this is a pretty silly-acting individual to be facing such a serious charge. Of course we are happy to let him know that, yes, we can catch you, but more than anything we are happy that maybe his victim is a step closer to getting justice.” Well, sure he may be an idiot, but maybe you should wait for a judge to declare him guilty and post his mugshot in your Creepy McCreepster Facebook page, Mr. Policeman, Sir.
In any case, in case you missed it, here’s the complete exchange again. [Al — Thanks Chris!]
This is the clusterf*ck that ensued in the picture comments.
McCombs’ first reply to the posting of the wanted “rape by force” mugshot.
Instead of shutting him down, whoever runs the sheriff’s office Facebook page immediately takes the bait and trolls back. McCombs replies that he’s getting a lawyer and asks if he can turn himself in to a “nicer” county.
Sheriff keeps talking.
The sheriff offers to talk to McCombs via email, but the suspect prefers to talk in public on Facebook.
The dumb kid just can’t stop talking, now asking the police for legal advice.
This is like watching a train crash in slow motion.
McCombs accuses the cops of defamation of character for posting the mugshot. He has a point. How can the police classify anyone as “creep of the week” when these people have not been convicted yet. He may be innocent.
Some dude piles on. People are so nice. Isn’t accessory to trolling a misdemeanor?
The police finally realise that it’s dumb to put up this public show.
McCombs finally posts the obligatory “I didn’t do it.” Just after this, the whole mugshot and conversation was deleted by the sheriff’s office.
Part of Jefferson County Sheriff Office’s Facebook Creep of the Week page, now without McComb’s mug shot or conversation.