Image via Complex Original
Everything we share on Facebook—comments, photos, Likes, updates, et al.—is up for interpretation. On the other hand, there are some things, like girl's bikini beach pictures, that can be taken at face value. You know what else? Admissions of guilt. What a lot of dimwitted criminals who frequent Facebook fail to understand is that their updates are open for the world to see. Even if their account is set to private, people will see and, depending on how close you are with said friend, snitch. So when, for reasons we can't comprehend, people go on Facebook and talk about their crimes, those posts act as a smoking gun when viewed by the authorities. Most recently, a woman with a private account—who didn't even commit a crime!—was arrested for helping a friend who was trying to out an undercover cop by posting the officer's image on Facebook. Think that's dumb? Read on.
Paradise Lost
Date: Oct. 14, 2009
Maxi Sopo was facing some serious bank fraud charges, having stolen over $200,000 from a number of Seattle banks and credit unions. While the Secret Service struggled to find the Cameroon native who decided to flee to Mexico, Sopo continued to brag on his wall posting comments like, "LIFE IS VERY SIMPLE REALLY!!!!" and “REMEMBER AM JUST HERE TO HAVE FUN PARTEEEEEEE." Having informed his FB friends of his whereabouts, Sopo failed to realize one of them was a former justice department official who relayed the info to Mexican authorities, leading to his arrest.
"...the most stupid criminal..."
Date: Dec. 16, 2010
After burglarizing the home of Washington Post editor Marc Fisher and thieving his 15-year-old son’s possessions including two laptops, savings bonds, and some cash, Robert Knight snapped a photo on one of the laptops' webcams—flaunting his “new” winter coat and cash stack, then posting the pic on the victim’s Facebook page. The dumbass was identified and arrested several weeks, and sentenced to 44 months in jail. D.C. police officer Kyle Roe went on recording saying, "I've seen a lot, but this is the most stupid criminal I've ever seen."
Death Wish
Date: Feb. 13, 2011
It’s bad enough Corey Christian Adams, 19, nearly got away with raping an intoxicated 20-year-old woman. But he took his sickness stupidity to another level by harassing his victim with a series of calls, then enlisting the services of a hitman on Facebook to take her out. "I got 500 on a girls head who wants that bread?” Adams allegedly wrote on his wall. He found a taker and arranged to meet the hired gunman in person, but never showed up and posted another message online claiming he "needed this girl knocked off right now." Unbeknownst to Adams, he had employed an undercover detective. The teenager faces 11 to 22 years in prison if convicted, where he'll likely become a victim of his own crime.
A Real Shitter
Date: April 21, 2011
A 16-year-old admitted to blocking water passages and overflowing the toilets in a rest room at a Portsmouth, UK public library on his FB wall, which was then flagged by local authorities. The unnamed teen denied the crime at first, until a prosecutor confronted him with the transcription of a FB conversation he had with a friend where he took full credit for the entire caper. The property damages amounted to more than $200,000. The title speaks for itself.
Baby Mama Drama
Date: May 23, 2011
We know some single mothers who would love to cut their baby's father completely out of their lives. London Eley actually took the initiative to rub out her ex-man, Corey White. A heated argument between the two encouraged her to place a $1,000 bounty on his head via Facebook: “I will pay somebody a stack to kill my baby father.” You would think no one in there right mind would settle for that parsamonious amount, but 18-year-old Tim Bynum was happy to take it. White’s aunt discovered the FB posts and contacted the police, which lead to detectives arresting both conspirators. Lieutenant John Walker of Philadelphia Police put it best: “It’s shocking that people are just so stupid.” Maybe next time she’ll have better luck on Craigslist.
You Dirty Rat
Date: July 15, 2011
You know someone’s completely and utterly disturbed when they find pleasure in sawing a mouse’s head off with a steak knife and sharing the video on their Facebook page. Naomi Anderson, who went under the alias Shabella King, was charged with animal cruelty, which lawyers representing the RSPCA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) described as “extremely graphic.” She was sentenced to 180 hours of community service and 18 months of probation.
Alcoholics Un-Anonymous
Date: July 18, 2011
Here's some advice they won't share with you at an AA meeting: If you don't want to get caught boozing out, don't post any evidence on the biggest social media outlet. Obviously, Scott W. Roby's sponsors didn't pass along the tip, as the non-recovering alchy had his probation revoked and was hauled back to prison for two years for adding images of his drinking escapades on FB. Prior to the blunder, he did what any ex-convict should never do after getting out of the joint: friend his probation officer.
Come And Get Me
Date: July 26, 2011
With numerous warrants under his belt, Ruben Burgos, a former rap promoter, sent out a challenge to the Utica Police Department by posting the following on his wall: ”Catch me if you can, I’m in Brooklyn”. The idiot even went as far as posting a video of himself walking into a NYPD police office online. Needless to say, it didn’t take long before the po-po found him in an apartment sitting in front of a PC taunting authorities on FB. “He told us via Facebook to come and get him and we did,” Utica police Sgt. Steve Hauck told the Daily News. Dude asked for it.
It's A Joke?
Date: Dec. 13, 2011
Police charged father Andre Curry with a felony count of aggravated domestic battery after duct-taping his 22-month old daughter and posting a picture of it on his profile with the following misspelled caption: "This is wut happens wen my baby hits me back. ;)" One of his Facebook friends found little humor in the alleged prank and forwarded the pic to police, who apprehended the joker immediately. Curry’s lawyer went on the defense saying his client was “devastated” and that the incident was “blown out of proportion,” while grandma described him as a “jokster” who “feels awful” and “wishes he could take it back.” C'mon, son.
The Pittsburgh Stealers
Date: Dec. 22, 2011
Some people can’t wait to brag about their crimes. Four clowns robbed a local corner store in Pittsburgh and took pictures posing with nearly $8,000 in cash and others various stolen items only one hour after the robbery. A family member of one of the burglars tipped the police the moment she discovered the images on Facebook. Sgt. Kevin Gasiorowski shared his relief over the simplicity of the bust saying, “It makes our job a lot easier when basically they post what amounts to a confession on the Internet for everyone to see.” The four-person crew was arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy.
Friendship Fail
Date: Oct. 16, 2012
After Melissa Walthall's friend, George Pickens, who was facing a range of drug charges, made fliers with the photo of the undercover cop who took him down, she hopped on Facebook to help with the search. Walthall posted the image of the undercover cop along with the message "Undercover Mesquite Narcotics" and asked "Anyone know this b****?" Despite her account being set to private, friends of hers saw the photo and contacted Mesquite, TX police. Both Walthall and Pickens were arrested.
