Us Weekly Former “Hot Stuff” editor Timothy McDarrah Convicted on Sex Charge

Former Us Weekly gossip columnist Timothy McDarrah, arrested in New York last year by undercover federal agents, has been found guilty of charges related to soliciting sex with a minor.

McDarrah, a former reporter at the Las Vegas Sun, was arrested after being charged with trying to seduce an undercover federal agent posing on the Internet as a 13-year-old girl.

He was charged with one count of using a computer and the Internet "to attempt to entice, induce, coerce and persuade a minor to engage in sexual activity," according to an indictment handed up in November 2005. He was convicted Dec. 20 after an eight-day jury trial in New York, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, according to court documents.

McDarrah, 44, responded in June 2005 to a posting on the craigslist.com Web site offering introductions to the "freshest, youngest" girls in New York, an FBI affidavit said. The gossip writer told an undercover FBI agent, who had posted the advertisement to lure pedophiles, that he would pay $200 for sex with a 13-year-old girl, the affidavit said.

After his arrest, McDarrah was suspended without pay from his post as the editor of Us Weekly’s "Hot Stuff" column. From 2002 to 2004, he worked as a gossip columnist at the Las Vegas Sun.

Too bad those female teachers who rape and molest their students don’t get any jail time. It’s a double standard in applying the laws fairly.

Read the entire press release from September 15, 2005 if you’re interested after the jump…

United States Attorney Southern District of New York

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 15, 2005

U.S. ARRESTS MAGAZINE REPORTER FOR USING THE INTERNET TO ENTICE A MINOR GIRL FOR SEXUAL ACTIVITY

MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and MARK J. MERSHON, the Assistant Director of the FBI in Charge of the New York Field Office, announced that TIMOTHY McDARRAH was arrested yesterday on charges of using the Internet to entice someone he believed to be a thirteen year-old girl to engage in sexual activities.

According to the Complaint filed earlier today in Manhattan federal court, an undercover Special Agent of the FBI posted an advertisement under an alias on June 22, 2005 in the "erotic services" section of the popular Internet website "craigslist", offering the "freshest, youngest girls" available in all ages. McDARRAH, using the screen name "Ps41alum@aol.com," allegedly responded to the advertisement. According to the Complaint, he specified in graphic terms the sexual activity he desired, agreed to pay $200 for sex with a thirteen-year-old girl, and planned to meet her on July 7, 2005. McDARRAH failed to appear at the meeting.

According to the Complaint, from late July 2005 through September 14, 2005, McDARRAH engaged in numerous Internet conversations with an individual he believed to be a thirteen year-old girl, but who was actually the undercover Special Agent of the FBI (the "Thirteen Year-Old Girl"). It is alleged that during these conversations McDARRAH explicitly and graphically described the sexual activities in which he planned to engage with the "Thirteen Year-Old Girl" when the two met in person. McDARRAGH also allegedly revealed that he worked at Us Weekly magazine and offered to buy clothes, CDs, an iPod and anything else the "Thirteen Year-Old Girl" wanted.

According to the Complaint, during the Internet conversations, McDARRAH asked the "Thirteen Year-Old Girl" where she lived. The "Thirteen Year-Old Girl" gave McDARRAH a fake address located in Manhattan (the "Undercover Address"). On September 14, 2005, McDARRAH allegedly sent an e-mail to the "Thirteen Year-Old Girl" informing her that he was at the Undercover Address and requesting that she meet with him.

McDARRAH was arrested by Special Agents of the FBI near the Undercover Address. McDARRAH allegedly admitted that he had gone to the address to meet someone whom he believed to be a thirteen year-old girl with whom who he had engaged in sexual 3 conversations on the Internet and on the telephone.

The defendant was scheduled to appear before United States Magistrate Judge KEVIN N. FOX in Manhattan federal court today.

The Complaint charges McDARRAH with one count of using the Internet to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an individual younger than 18 years-old to engage in sexual activity. If convicted, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum prison term of five years and a maximum prison term of 30 years.

Mr. GARCIA praised the investigative efforts of the FBI in this case and said that the investigation was continuing.

Assistant United States Attorney REBECCA A. MONCK is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

05-207 ###

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