A fictitious Facebook persona created by convicted online sexual predator Jeffrey Goddard has garnered almost 300 “friends.”
Abbotsford police said Goddard, 22, is using the name
“Ryan Martin Stewart” on Facebook as a way to get into contact with
minors.
“Goddard used the name of ‘Ryan Martin Stewart’ as a persona to allow him to engage in social media and to make contacts without revealing his actual identity,” said Const. Ian MacDonald.
Goddard has allegedly also created a backstory for Stewart, including creating a Facebook page of a fictitious company named Stewart Landscaping to give his online persona the appearance of financial legitimacy.
According to the online profile, Ryan Stewart is from Calgary and currently lives in Abbotsford. He studied at Langley Secondary and BCIT and, since July, has been head supervisor of Stewart Landscaping, a family-owned business.
“I am a really loveing [sic] person and i am caring if u wanna know anymore about me please dont be affraid [sic] to ask me,” says a brief description. His profile photo is of two dogs, noses almost touching.
As of Tuesday morning, the fake identity has accumulated 296 Facebook friends. It is also possible contacts were initiated outside of Facebook, said MacDonald.
The tactic is similar to Goddard’s previous practice of using Facebook to connect with his victims, aged between 12 and 16 years old, all but two of whom were boys.
He was convicted last year of luring minors using a computer, invitation to sexual touching, and impersonating a police officer, and was sentenced to 20 months in jail.
When he was released in February, police issued a public notification warning the public about Goddard’s return to the community.
He was arrested Thursday after a citizen reported Goddard’s recent online activity to police. He has been charged with four counts of breaking his probation conditions, which include not having a device that could connect to the Internet; not have a social-media presence; and not having indirect or direct contact with someone under the age of 18.
Goddard remains in police custody until a hearing this Thursday.
Police are asking anyone who had any interaction with “Ryan Martin Stewart” of “Stewart Landscaping” to call the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225.
“Goddard used the name of ‘Ryan Martin Stewart’ as a persona to allow him to engage in social media and to make contacts without revealing his actual identity,” said Const. Ian MacDonald.
Goddard has allegedly also created a backstory for Stewart, including creating a Facebook page of a fictitious company named Stewart Landscaping to give his online persona the appearance of financial legitimacy.
According to the online profile, Ryan Stewart is from Calgary and currently lives in Abbotsford. He studied at Langley Secondary and BCIT and, since July, has been head supervisor of Stewart Landscaping, a family-owned business.
“I am a really loveing [sic] person and i am caring if u wanna know anymore about me please dont be affraid [sic] to ask me,” says a brief description. His profile photo is of two dogs, noses almost touching.
As of Tuesday morning, the fake identity has accumulated 296 Facebook friends. It is also possible contacts were initiated outside of Facebook, said MacDonald.
The tactic is similar to Goddard’s previous practice of using Facebook to connect with his victims, aged between 12 and 16 years old, all but two of whom were boys.
He was convicted last year of luring minors using a computer, invitation to sexual touching, and impersonating a police officer, and was sentenced to 20 months in jail.
When he was released in February, police issued a public notification warning the public about Goddard’s return to the community.
He was arrested Thursday after a citizen reported Goddard’s recent online activity to police. He has been charged with four counts of breaking his probation conditions, which include not having a device that could connect to the Internet; not have a social-media presence; and not having indirect or direct contact with someone under the age of 18.
Goddard remains in police custody until a hearing this Thursday.
Police are asking anyone who had any interaction with “Ryan Martin Stewart” of “Stewart Landscaping” to call the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225.
© Global News. A division of Shaw Media Inc., 2012.