Air Force major accused of seeking teen sex on Internet

A U.S. Air Force major has been accused of asking what he thought was a 15-year-old Utah girl he met in an Internet chat room to have sex with him. via Salt Lake Tribune

Read full story from Salt Lake Tribune

[Julie Canton]

am Major Canton's wife. I would like to openly address the charges that are being levied against him as well as the vile hate that is being spewed at my my family by some members of your community.
Rey Canton is a loving husband and father. He has honorably served our country for more than 20 years as an officer in the United States Air Force. He is an honest, caring, decent man. He is deeply respected and loved by everyone who knows him. He is not a monster, a deviant, or any of the other vicious names that have been hurled at him over the internet during the past 2 days. He does not deserve to be hung, castrated, or allowed to rot in jail as some of you have suggested. How quickly some folks forget the presumption of innocence. Apparently, simply hearing an accusation is enough for you to try and convict someone. To heck with letting him defend himself. Why not just eliminate due process altogether and send the accused straight from central booking to death row? Overzealous law enforcement officers and government task forces have coupled with scared parents, to create our country's next Salem Witch Hunt.
Rey and I have 5 daughters, two are teenagers. We are always preaching to them about the dangers of the Internet, especially MySpace, and warning them to be careful. It is absolutely believable to me that Rey would attempt to help someone who initiated contact him through a chat room.
Every time one of these stories hits the news, Rey and I always wonder why none of the other people involved in the "chat" tried to intervene and help the child. While chatting online, my husband felt he was faced with one of two scenarios (1) this was an adult who was posing as a minor, or (2) this was a child who desperately needed guidance. His intent was to help. He probably should have handled the situation differently, but he never intended to harm anyone and certainly never attempted to harm anyone. This "girl" actively pursued conversation with him-even asking him if he could hook up a web cam. Why does the Utah statute for Enticing a Minor completely absolve law enforcement personnel of entrapment? It is absurd to allow the police to unilaterally run amok, arrest someone, and throw them in jail for 10-30 years for NOT HARMING ANYONE! The alleged victim in this matter is nothing more than a figment of a task force officer's imagination.
Under the current Utah statute, my husband could go to jail for a mandatory minimum sentence of no less than 10 years because the police say he "might" have "thought" about doing something bad to a non-existent person. He could lose his job, his pension, and our future. All because he thought he might be helping a wayward minor or embarrassing a stupid adult trying to act like a minor.
On Friday, April 13, 2007, I engaged in a lengthy telephone conversation with the arresting police officer. He emphatically stated to me that he does not think that my husband intended to harm anyone and that nothing in either his demeanor or personal interviews, which he voluntarily engaged in without invoking his right to have an attorney present, indicated that he was capable of doing what he was accused of doing. Officer Swain said that he believed that it was nothing more than chat room encounter that got out of hand. However, he also cautioned that due to my husband's professional background and standing in our community, local officials were going to make sure that this was a "high profile case." I wonder what this officer's testimony will be at trial?
Does any of this sound fair to you, good citizen's of Utah? Will your paper even print this letter before the grand jury convenes on Wednesday?
I am proud to be married to Rey Canton. Our family stands behind him with unwavering support and will continue to do so regardless of the outcome of this nightmare.
Mrs. Reinaldo Canton, Major, PhD. USAF
Albuquerque, New Mexico

[Brad]

Maybe you don't know your husband well enough. I may not agree with teens acting as they do on the Internet, but you will nor find me in a chat room trying to be a do gooder.

However, as some of the other LDS people in this forum and others have already prejudged your husband, I will not. He is innocent until proven guilty. However, many in the LDS community prejudge others, while they commit and act the very same way trying to fool others as well. One of many reasons why I left the church.

Good luck.

[sandra]

I think the chat rooms should be closed, all you ever hear is about sex. Good luck to you and your family.the LDS members think they own the state and the people. when thier biships are playing arould with all the young girls and boys saying it is their job to make sure they are good little girls and boys.

[You_fell_for_his _lies]

I JUST CANNOT BELIEVE YOU FELL FOR HIS LIES!
HE SHOWED HIMSELF, TALKED ABOUT HAVING SEX WITH HER, AND WENT TO MEET HER AT THE MALL...AND YOU BELIEVE THAT HE WAS THERE TO WARN HER ABOUT THE PREDATORS ONLINE?!
NOW, THAT'S ONE HELL OF A LIE!
SAD, THAT YOU HAVE TO BACK A MAN, YES HE'S YOUR HUSBAND, WHO WANTED A FIFTEEN YEAR OLD.
I'M SORRY BUT HE NEEDS TO BE JAILED, OR HAVE HIS GENITALS REMOVED.
IF HE WAS REALLY TRYING TO 'PROTECT' THIS GIRL ON THE INTERNET, THEN YOU WOULD THINK THAT HE WOULD HAVE NOTIFIED THE PROPER OFFICIALS WITH WHAT HE WAS DOING

[Bob]

Mrs Canton,
I do belive in standing by your husband. However, you must step outside of the wife box that you are living in and understand where some people are coming from on this. I must say that I agree with #4. Why wouldn't you notify the proper authorities if you are going to meet a girl that is under age? Somehow I don't think that he had a 'lecture' in mind when going to meet this person that he thought was a young girl. Especially when you are supposdly an expert on the internet,(not saying security wise, but the net just the same.) Dr. Canton does deserve to be tried by his peers. However, I don't think that I am asking any questions to myself concerning this that his peers in Utah will not be asking themselves. Innocent until proven guilty, but let's think about this for a moment. Given that Dr. Canton has young girls of his own, how would he feel if a 43 year old man proposed that they meet so that he could only LECTURE HER? Somehow I don't believe that he would be okay with this. Someone was not thinking with the right head. Good luck doc!

[Brad]

My wife would have shot me down if I told her I was going to the local mall to "counsel" a troubled female teenager.

Yeah, I think someone had/has her head in the sand on that one.

[Joe]

Everyone should leave her alone. She is probably completely shell-shocked by this event. You do not know what may be going on behind closed doors. If I was in trouble, I would hope my family-especially my wife-would stand up for me-at least until they knew the facts. This is not her fault and she is just giving her husband the benefit of the doubt-which he deserves. Also, to "you fell for his lies" it was reported in other outlets that the pics he sent were NOT naked or porno-just a face. This is exactly how law enforcement and prosecutors try to turn the public against an accused prior to trial.

[Joe]

...and another thing - we don't even know that this was written by his wife. I have not seen her on any news outlet standing up for him. This letter could have been authored by anybody.

[Brad]

"This is exactly how law enforcement and prosecutors try to turn the public against an accused prior to trial."

Especially in Utah.

[Someone who knows Rey]

To anyone trying to "defend" Rey. I have had the displeasure of knowing Rey. He is a conniving, manipulative, egotistical, self-centered bag of S***. I hope he gets hung out to dry. Our Justice System needs to take these types of cases and inforce harsher penalties. When Rey goes to jail, his crime is even frowned upon by murders and rapist. It's amazing that society's scum feel that Rey's charges are even taboo. I hope he meets "Bubba" in jail and they become good friends.

And to the rest of you hippy tree-huggers that bash our law enforcers and feel that the police run wild, try to imagine how our cities and streets would be without them. These our the individuals that answer our calls for help in the middle of the night and unselfishly put their lives in danger for people that may never even meet or know. I hope that all of you may never need to call for help, but if you do your calls will be answered.

[I know him too]

The other person who knows Rey who authored the above comment is either Rey's ex-wife or someone related to her-and her whole family is Sh$$.
I have known Rey for many years and he is a great guy. As for the possibility that he was going to lecture the girl about safety-entirely possible. Many times he has given safety lectures to kids-even dressing up as Batman to give Halloween safety lectures to his kids elementary school.
True there are many good law enforcement officers-but there are just as many bad ones, who lie, intimidate, and even get away with murder. Don't be blinded by the badge.
I know Rey and Julie Canton. They are wonderful people, great parents, and an asset to their community. I wish them all the best.

[Hear- Hear]

Just checked with Julie-they do not know anyone in Colorado except Rey's ex-wife and her family, so let's all try to guess the real identy of "Someone who knows Rey"
The ex is an unemployed, uneducated piece of ####,who survives by living off of her kids child support, so take what she has to say with a large dose of salt, not a grain....I do not want to rant here, but to those of us who truly know Rey Julie and Canton - and who have no agenda - we wish them all the best and support them 100%.
I find it humorous that the bloggers and threaders who claim to be "christian, family people" are the first ones to write the most hateful posts. "Judge not, lest ye be judged." And as for your claims that you want to protect kids-you should be aware that the Canton children are being exposed to your vile comments. Try posting something productive.
Now, let's everybody relax and let the courts handle it from here.

[brad]

welcome to utah! wow, someone else can see past the veil? one of the many reason I left the church.

& yes, a thanks to all of the LEO's out there. The good 1's, not the bad 1's.

[Joe]

Someone who knows Rey wrote:

To anyone trying to "defend" Rey. I have had the displeasure of knowing Rey. He is a conniving, manipulative, egotistical, self-centered bag of S***. I hope he gets hung out to dry. Our Justice System needs to take these types of cases and inforce harsher penalties. When Rey goes to jail, his crime is even frowned upon by murders and rapist. It's amazing that society's scum feel that Rey's charges are even taboo. I hope he meets "Bubba" in jail and they become good friends.
And to the rest of you hippy tree-huggers that bash our law enforcers and feel that the police run wild, try to imagine how our cities and streets would be without them. These our the individuals that answer our calls for help in the middle of the night and unselfishly put their lives in danger for people that may never even meet or know. I hope that all of you may never need to call for help, but if you do your calls will be answered.

**********

Hey "Someone who knows Rey". My advice to you is to invest in a dictionary and some grammar classes.

[Someone Who Knows rey]

Hear- Hear wrote:

Just checked with Julie-they do not know anyone in Colorado except Rey's ex-wife and her family, so let's all try to guess the real identy of "Someone who knows Rey"
The ex is an unemployed, uneducated piece of ####,who survives by living off of her kids child support, so take what she has to say with a large dose of salt, not a grain....I do not want to rant here, but to those of us who truly know Rey Julie and Canton - and who have no agenda - we wish them all the best and support them 100%.
I find it humorous that the bloggers and threaders who claim to be "christian, family people" are the first ones to write the most hateful posts. "Judge not, lest ye be judged." And as for your claims that you want to protect kids-you should be aware that the Canton children are being exposed to your vile comments. Try posting something productive.
Now, let's everybody relax and let the courts handle it from here.

First off, I am not associated with Rey's ex or her family. I met Rey some years ago when he was stationed at the Air Force Academy. I admit that my comments were probably uncalled for; however, having delt personally with Rey and his lies I can only imagine the web of deceit he has some of you wrapped up in.

[Someone Who Knows rey]

I know him too wrote:

The other person who knows Rey who authored the above comment is either Rey's ex-wife or someone related to her-and her whole family is Sh$$.
I have known Rey for many years and he is a great guy. As for the possibility that he was going to lecture the girl about safety-entirely possible. Many times he has given safety lectures to kids-even dressing up as Batman to give Halloween safety lectures to his kids elementary school.
True there are many good law enforcement officers-but there are just as many bad ones, who lie, intimidate, and even get away with murder. Don't be blinded by the badge.
I know Rey and Julie Canton. They are wonderful people, great parents, and an asset to their community. I wish them all the best.

Whoever you are, take a good look at yourself. I am only giving my opinion of Rey based of my relationship with him in the past. I have never met Julie or any of her family and I wish all the best during this difficult time in her life, yet here you are calling Rey's ex and her family pieces of Sh##. Unless you know each and everyone of them enough to form an opinion (not based off what you have heard) it would probaly be wise to keep your opinions of people you don't know to yourself unless you be found a liar. Not once have I ever posted a negative OPINION about anybody I did not personally know.

[Someone Who Knows Rey]

Joe wrote:

<quoted text>
**********
Hey "Someone who knows Rey". My advice to you is to invest in a dictionary and some grammar classes.

Really Joe that's all you have? Comments on my grammer? Ok. Good one. I leave it alone right here.

[reluctantly admitting]

I am a member of this family and I think that the back and forth crap between you people is ridiculous. Regardless of my personal views on the case, I am smart enough to keep my name out of all of it. I am ashamed to be a part of this family right now, not only because of what Rey might have done, but because of the distasteful reactions SOME members have displayed. If standing by him in his time of need is your priority, then it should be for his benefit. If you are not in support of him (and I will admit that I am one of the ones who believes he is guilty and should suffer the consequences) then that is a personal opinion. Say your piece and leave it at that, people. And for God's sake, stop attacking each other in these petty little bulletins! You are making yourselves look very immature and ignorant.

[reluctantly admitting]

and 1 more thing - i am not in milwaukee. i am using a friend's work laptop which is connected to the corporate office's server in milwaukee

[brad]

Thanks for the info.!

I'm not really in Fresno either, I am in Dead Horse, Alaska as we speak and will take the Concord back to SLC tonight.