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3D-Printed Gun Activist Cody Wilson Charged With Sexual Assault, Misses Flight Back From Taiwan
3-D Printed Gun Promoter, Cody Wilson, Is Charged With Sexual Assault of Child (archive)
Cody Wilson, whose push to post blueprints for 3-D printed guns online has made him a key figure in the national gun control debate, was charged on Wednesday with sexually assaulting a child in Texas.
But law enforcement officers said they were having trouble finding Mr. Wilson, who missed a flight back to the United States from Taipei, Taiwan, his last known location. During a news conference on Wednesday, Cmdr. Troy Officer of the Austin Police Department said that a warrant had been filed for Mr. Wilson's arrest and that local detectives were working with national and international partners to find him.
Mr. Wilson, 30, is accused of having sex with a 16-year-old girl at a hotel in Austin on Aug. 15 and paying her $500 in cash, according to an affidavit filed in Travis County. The girl told the police that she had met Mr. Wilson through the website SugarDaddyMeet.com, where he was using the screen name "Sanjuro," the affidavit says.
[...] She and Mr. Wilson, who identified himself to the girl, exchanged phone numbers and then continued messaging each other, sharing at least one explicit photo apiece, according to the affidavit. During one conversation, Mr. Wilson described himself as a "big deal," the affidavit says.
[...] Neither Mr. Wilson nor his lawyer in the sexual assault case responded to a request for comment. The Austin police said a friend of the victim had told Mr. Wilson before he left for Taiwan that he was under investigation.
Taiwan does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
Looks like someone else will have to take on the job of defending file sharing in court.
Previously: [Updated] Defense Distributed Releasing Gun Plans, President Trump "Looking Into" It
Federal Judge Imposes Preliminary Injunction Against Defense Distributed's DEFCAD
3D Gun File Downloads Blocked; Selling Begins Instead
3-D gun entrepreneur Cody Wilson accused of paying for sex with underage girl, authorities say
From the Washington Post come this: https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/09/19/d-gun-entrepreneur-cody-wilson-accused-paying-sex-with-underage-girl-authorities-say/?utm_term=.492c764a26d9
Cody Wilson, a 3-D gunmaker who has become embroiled in a national debate about "downloadable" firearms, has been accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, according to court documents.
Authorities said Wilson, 30, paid the teenager $500 for sex in a hotel last month in Austin after the two met on a dating website, according to an arrest warrant affidavit that was filed Wednesday in district court in Travis County, Tex. Wilson faces a charge of sexual assault, a second-degree felony, according to the court documents.
A spokeswoman with the Austin Police Department said Wilson has not been arrested. It is unclear why authorities are charging him with sexual assault and whether he has an attorney.
I submit this story because it has to do with certain rights. Not who is right.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 20 2018, @09:50PM (30 children)
You assume he is still there or plans to stay there. I suspect its easier to vanish from there and get to a more "friendly" country than it would have been in the US.
(Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Thursday September 20 2018, @09:57PM (3 children)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extradition_law_in_the_United_States#International_extradition [wikipedia.org]
What's your dream extradition-less destination? Taiwan seems better than many of the options.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 20 2018, @10:10PM (2 children)
What makes you think Taiwan will let him stay?
Also, funny how people who have been annoyances to the government end up being accused of sexcrime.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday September 20 2018, @10:47PM
He recently got a cash infusion from donations and flash drive sales. A little money in the right hands could help him.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 5, Insightful) by MostCynical on Thursday September 20 2018, @11:57PM
Either: the kind of men who do the sorts of things Cody does (lets call it "pushing boundaries" as a simple catch-all) will also be the sort of driven, narcissistic asshole who gets his jollies in "unconventional" ways.
Additionally, ego-driven people often get away with things others wouldn't , just by being brazen, so may be less likely to hide their tracks or be discrete.
Also, people who do what Cody does (bait governments) are likely to have people "examining" their lives, and monitoring them, if not tailing them.
Wave flag (even a white one), draw fire.
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Thursday September 20 2018, @10:10PM (25 children)
Snowden found a home. Assange would have found a home, if he could just get to it. Cody? I think you'll have a hard time finding any country which would welcome him. The man is as much anti-government as anything. Most of the world, whether first or third world, opposes the free distribution of weapons, especially weapons that they cannot track and control. Various people will describe the man in various ways, but I suspect that governments will almost universally view him as an "undesirable". Some nation might offer him a temporary shelter, for the purpose of milking him for everything he knows. Then, that nation will abandon him. Maybe not extradite him, but set him up for an abduction by some team friendly to the CIA.
Cody is pretty much on his own - unless, as one of the posts above suggests, he's a genuine Nazi, with contacts to hide him.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday September 20 2018, @10:22PM (14 children)
Anarchist? (crypto-anarchist)
What that seems to mean is someone who doesn't believe in law, or thinks they are above the law, or not subject to the law, can do anything they want to anyone they want. Gee, sometimes that sounds familiar around here. Didn't he understand his contracts in advance of his interactions? And he paid her $500, so it should be all okay, right? That will surely make up for her innocence. If you've never been the parent of one who was once 16, you probably don't get it.
For some reason I think of what JFK said:
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 20 2018, @10:40PM (4 children)
If your argument relies on emotional appeals and subjective terms like "innocence," then you have nothing.
You may as well be talking about the "innocence" of an 18 year old, and how anyone who has never been the parent of such a person probably doesn't get it. It's a completely arbitrary line.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Thursday September 20 2018, @10:50PM (2 children)
https://www.newsweek.com/hatreon-alt-right-richard-spencer-andrew-anglin-white-nationalism-white-644546 [newsweek.com]
I suppose that if Wilson describes himself as an anarchist, then he may be an anarchist.
Seriously, I've not followed him, or his career, or his politics. I was only aware of his 3D tech, until now.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by driverless on Friday September 21 2018, @07:41AM (1 child)
Another point that no-one's mentioned so far: Isn't it convenient that a major PITA for the government, that they can't seem to silence or get rid of, is caught doing something that makes it very easy to get rid of him? I'm not saying it was a setup or not, but it is remarkably convenient for the government that this came up right about now.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 21 2018, @04:15PM
It does seem convenient.
Also, I think the charge of "sexual assault" seems pretty trumped up given that they seemed to be pretty amiable afterward.
"Solicitation of a minor prostitute" just doesn't get the hate flowing enough?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 21 2018, @03:59AM
Well, where else would you draw the line? Clearly having sex with a 4 year old isn't OK and having sex with a 30 year old seems alright. There is no point in between that couldn't be fudged a bit one way or the other without the world falling a part. 18 is typically the age chose for a good number of things and is probably somewhat on the low side, but there you go.
(Score: 2, Redundant) by Runaway1956 on Thursday September 20 2018, @10:43PM (8 children)
I won't tag him as an anarchist. I'm getting curious about him, because previous links suggest he's Nazi. Of course, that accusation is thrown about for anyone and everyone who doesn't toe the Progressive line. Trump, me, TMB, all "literally Hitler".
By "anti government", I mean, something along the lines of myself, and others, who have denounced various activities that our government engages in. We know that congress has gone far beyond the scope of the law regarding "interstate commerce", and infringed on states rights, as well as citizen's rights with their "interpretations". Thus, I am "anti government".
I happen to agree that Wilson's aims to circumvent government's control over guns and other weapons is a "good thing". Again that makes me "anti government".
I am certainly not an anarchist, though. I recognize that a lot of laws are necessary to make life go 'round. I only become "anti" when government tramples on the rights of it's constituents.
(Score: 4, Informative) by DannyB on Thursday September 20 2018, @10:55PM (3 children)
I seem to remember Hillary was called a Nazi. (Don't know where, most likely Fox News.)
So being a Nazi would be something Trump and Hillary have in common I suppose.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 20 2018, @11:24PM (2 children)
I heard on the radio that leftists are harvesting the organs of millions of children.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday September 20 2018, @11:47PM
Something got crossed up, that should read,
Harvesting the left organs of millions of children (the right organs are sacred, dontcha know?)
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Monday September 24 2018, @05:29PM
ISPs and Mobile phone companies are also harvesting the organs if ISPs. "pro-business" Republicans think this is fine. So therefore they should think it is fine for the Democrats to harvest childrens' organs.
To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by DannyB on Thursday September 20 2018, @11:01PM
I don't agree with everything our government does. In some cases I strongly disagree. But I am not against having a peacefully elected government -- even if it seems to be falling apart.
I think most probably agree congress is broken, perhaps beyond repair. Because those who can fix it have no interest, even a negative incentive to fix it. There needs to be less corruption in government, or more opportunity to participate in the corruption.
IMO wanting to
lessonlessen government's control over firearms does not make one anti-government. It's just another example of disagreeing with government policy. Something we still have a right to do at present.To transfer files: right-click on file, pick Copy. Unplug mouse, plug mouse into other computer. Right-click, paste.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 21 2018, @12:02AM
Nice to see you just come out and admit it, Runaway! Hope you feel better, now.
(Score: 2) by DeathMonkey on Friday September 21 2018, @06:05PM (1 child)
Of course, that accusation is thrown about for anyone and everyone who doesn't toe the Progressive line. Trump, me, TMB, all "literally Hitler".
Hitlery [soylentnews.org] [soylentnews.org]
Hitlery [soylentnews.org] [soylentnews.org]
Hitlery [soylentnews.org] [soylentnews.org]
Hitlery [soylentnews.org] [soylentnews.org]
Hitlery [soylentnews.org] [soylentnews.org]
4 out of 5 of these are you, Mr. Victim.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday September 21 2018, @10:23PM
I'm not even clicking. Hitlery is Hitlery. I've accused no other person, left or right, of being "literally Hitler". Maybe I should challenge you on that. Find any other person to whom I've referred as Nazi. I've referred to some as fascists. I've mocked many. I've cited the CTRL-LEFT a few times, since someone else coined the phrase. Hitlery is in a class all by herself. And, if you were ever to understand and to admit that Hillary Clinton was just about the worst possible choice that the Dems could have selected as their candidate, your apparent IQ would shoot up to near normal.
Note, that there really are a few possible choices worse than Clinton. But, you can count them on your fingers, and add maybe a couple of toes. THAT is how nearly half of America feels about your Hitlery.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Thexalon on Friday September 21 2018, @12:17AM (9 children)
Here's the interesting thing: Every time I've encountered a person who's thoroughly anti-government, to the point where they want everyone to get guns and start killing off government people, I've found them to be someone who's doing stuff I don't think they shouldn't be doing. Hiring minors for sex is something that I don't think anyone should be doing, because as GP points out that odds are good that the teenager in question is effectively a slave and I believe slavery is wrong.
Consider me part of that. Free distribution of weapons means the most powerful weapons are attracted to those who most want to use them. And the people who most want to use weapons aren't the guys who like popping off a few rounds at the range, but the guys who want to murder people, and I believe murder is wrong. Also, some of the folks who want to murder people are likely to be crazy as all get-out, the sort that would murder their parents thinking they're secret agents or something.
It's possible to be a good guy with a gun. I know some of them. They aren't opposed to having guns tracked and controlled, in large part because they aren't doing anything that would get them in trouble if the government knows everything about their guns.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Friday September 21 2018, @12:21AM
Free distribution of information. If that information is used to 3D print or mill a working gun, so be it. If it's used to fill a bit of hard drive space or to print a poster of a 3D gun model, that's fine too.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by Runaway1956 on Friday September 21 2018, @12:27AM (4 children)
I really don't know if they have discovered a cure for hoplophobia, which isn't worse than the disease itself. Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, Red China, and others have attempted to find cures for hoplophobia, but they have all ended poorly.
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Friday September 21 2018, @03:48PM (3 children)
Ah yes, "hoplophobia". Where does that appear in the DSM? Oh, right, it doesn't, mostly because fear of things that could easily kill you isn't irrational.
1. Let's say you had someone pointing a loaded gun at you, decent stance, finger on the trigger. Are you at all concerned that they'll shoot you? I certainly would be: Even if they didn't want to shoot me, accidents happen, and of course if they did decide they wanted to shoot me I'm now quite possibly dead and at the very least crippled for a while and possibly for the rest of my life.
2. Now, if I haven't verified myself that a gun isn't loaded, I'm going to assume it is, as every gun safety instructor in the country will teach me to do. Ergo, it is rational for me to treat any random gun pointed in my direction as a lethal threat.
3. If I encounter somebody who can very quickly get to a gun and point it at me, that person is under 1 second from being a lethal threat to me. So yeah, I'm going to be paying attention to that person, and it's rational for me to do so.
I also consider it relevant that the organization in the US that you'd think would be pretty comfortable with weapons, namely the military, goes to great lengths to keep their guns under strict controls. It's almost like they think they're dangerous or something.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday September 21 2018, @10:33PM (2 children)
1. is assault with a deadly weapon. You are entirely within your rights to shoot to kill, before he pulls the trigger.
2. no weapon is ever unloaded. If Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Zeus, and Buddha call you into a room, hand you a weapon, and assure you that it is not loaded - you know they are liars, and that you've got to check it for yourself.
3. don't annoy anyone who might be armed. Which is "anybody".
4. Yessss - the officers want to ensure that all weapons within range of their facilities are under their control. That's kinda what the word "military" is all about. Soldiers and sailors aren't necessarily "comfortable" with weapons. They understand weapons, and they know how to use weapons. That doesn't imply "comfort". As part of my cross rate training, I learned some of the basics of stoking a boiler. NO ONE in the boiler room is "comfortable", but the boiler room crew can give you 30+ knots from a standstill with only a couple minutes' warning.
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Friday September 21 2018, @11:28PM (1 child)
Which means, incidentally, that I rationally feared for my life, which was precisely the point I was making. Calling it a "phobia" is making it into an *irrational* fear for my life, which you just admitted isn't the case.
And in that situation, I may be within my legal rights to shoot to kill, but that doesn't mean I'll be able to. The basic story of gun combat at relatively short range is that the person with their gun in a position to fire first wins. For example, if I'm facing an armed attacker with their weapon drawn and pointed at me, my best bet is to do whatever they say or beat feet, even if I have a gun at hand. The reason is simple: Human reaction time is 0.2 seconds or so for the bad guy to see my move and/or my weapon, add maybe 0.1 seconds for the bad guy to squeeze the trigger, and I may be a quick draw but to beat that I'd have to be faster than all but the fastest professional shooters - from what I can gather more typical times are about 1.0-1.5 seconds, at which point I'm already dead.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 1, Troll) by Runaway1956 on Saturday September 22 2018, @01:00AM
The hoplophobia which infects so much of the world today is irrational. The media works hard to drum up the fear of weapons, to induce people to voluntarily give up their weapons. They work just as hard to instill trust in the police, to lull you into a sense of security, thereby aiding you in voluntarily giving up your weapons. But - eventually, when almost no one has weapons, we'll be reminded to how that worked out in China, the USSR, and Cambodia, not to mention a dozen other third world countries.
Which is worse - a few dozen dead, now and then, or a few hundred on rare occassions, or, several million, because no one can defend himself?
When the dead are counted in tens of millions, people will be wishing that they still had the option of purchasing their own weapons. But, history does repeat itself - again and again.
Live free, or die.
(Score: 3, Informative) by hemocyanin on Friday September 21 2018, @12:50AM
I find it hard to believe she was a slave. No slave master would have set her free with a mental health because of the high likelihood that the counselor would alert authorities, as happened here.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 21 2018, @07:54AM (1 child)
Mind if I browse your bank records? Tax evasion results in starving children, so it’s something I’m against. All my friends agree that tax evasion is bad and they support anyone going through their records because they have nothing to hide.
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Friday September 21 2018, @01:52PM
1. Tax evasion mostly results in slightly higher interest rates for US treasury bonds. It doesn't actually lead to starving children.
2. Sure, as long as you don't get the account and routing numbers. You'd find that I earn what the IRS thinks I earn, that I pay the taxes owed promptly, and the expenses utterly boring.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.