The Dangerous Deception of Proactive Sting Operations

In June of 2022, my life was forever changed. Arrested as part of a sting operation conducted by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Oregon, I was wrongfully charged with attempting to engage with a minor online. The circumstances of my case are emblematic of a broader, insidious issue infecting the criminal justice system—proactive sting operations that entrap innocent people, devastate families, and pervert the very purpose of law enforcement.

I am not alone in this. People across the country, like Kathleen Hambrick’s son, Jace, have fallen victim to law enforcement agencies who have traded true crime-fighting for entrapment schemes that prey on innocent individuals. What is happening in these sting operations is not justice—it is a reckless game of "catch-and-convict" that ruins lives in the name of inflated statistics and funding.

The Bait-and-Switch Game of Proactive Stings

In my case, as in so many others, I was lured into communication through an 18+ dating site, where an undercover officer posed as an adult woman. The profile pictures provided were of an adult, and I was given absolutely no reason to believe I was speaking to anyone other than a consenting adult. To confirm this, I even requested a verification photo where she touched her nose, further solidifying in my mind that the person on the other end was over 18.

Yet, despite these facts, I was arrested and charged as if I had been intentionally seeking contact with a minor. This is a common tactic in these so-called proactive stings—law enforcement uses bait-and-switch tactics, beginning conversations as adults and only later, after they’ve established communication, introducing an underage narrative. These manipulations are intentional and designed to trick unsuspecting individuals into legal jeopardy.

This is not the work of law enforcement protecting the public; this is entrapment, plain and simple. Under Jacobson v. United States, 503 U.S. 540 (1992), the Supreme Court established that entrapment occurs when law enforcement induces an otherwise law-abiding citizen to commit an offense that they had no predisposition to engage in. The actions of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office fall squarely into this definition—they created a crime where none existed, then pounced on the opportunity to arrest.

A System Built on Perverse Incentives

The ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) task forces, originally established in 1998 to protect real children from online predators, have devolved into mechanisms that prioritize convictions over justice. As Kathleen Hambrick highlights in her own battle for her son, these task forces now disproportionately rely on sting operations to bolster their numbers. Their funding and institutional survival hinge on the number of successful prosecutions they achieve—not on the actual safety of children.

ICAC’s funding model incentivizes the use of proactive stings, where numbers drive the money. The system is built on perverse incentives—funding is tied directly to the number of arrests made, which leads to shortcuts and unethical practices. A recent report by the Brody Law Firm revealed that these stings frequently rely on bait-and-switch tactics, where adult-looking profiles suddenly become “underage” during a conversation, leading to confusion and ultimately an arrest. This is exacerbated by the fact that undercover officers use photos of people in their late teens or early twenties, making it difficult for anyone to reasonably believe they are talking to a minor until well into the conversation【61†source】.

Reactive cases, where real children are in danger, are time-consuming and difficult to prosecute. Meanwhile, proactive stings, targeting adults on dating sites, are quick, easy, and virtually guaranteed to result in convictions. This “bait-and-switch” approach is much more convenient for law enforcement, who would rather arrest ten unsuspecting men in a day than pursue real predators. Worse, the system rewards them for this. Their focus has shifted entirely away from protecting vulnerable children to manufacturing criminals.

The numbers tell the story: proactive stings have become the norm because they are fast, easy, and profitable. But at what cost?

Manipulated Evidence and Corrupt Courtrooms

In the case against me, it wasn’t just the sting itself that was a miscarriage of justice. The phone call between my wife, Crissy, and Detective Mark Povolny was edited to omit key portions where she explained that it was completely reasonable to believe I was speaking with an adult. This was a deliberate act of evidence tampering—an egregious violation of Oregon law (ORS 162.295 - Tampering with Physical Evidence). Yet this manipulated evidence was allowed to stand in court, contributing to my wrongful conviction.

Under Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963), the prosecution is required to disclose exculpatory evidence—evidence favorable to the accused that could exonerate them or mitigate their guilt. By tampering with or concealing such evidence, the prosecution and law enforcement violate not only Oregon law but also the constitutional rights of the accused under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the prosecution’s actions were not only unethical but illegal, and yet, they were allowed to proceed unchecked.

This sort of manipulation isn’t uncommon in these cases. Forensic analyses of confiscated devices frequently reveal that law enforcement alters or hides evidence to secure convictions. Kathleen’s son, Jace, faced a similar situation where key evidence, such as manipulated text messages, was presented as fact. The courts are complicit in this corruption, allowing police misconduct to go unchecked, further eroding the integrity of the justice system.

ICAC task forces are supposed to operate under strict standards, but evidence suggests that these standards are poorly enforced. A 2018 report outlined the operational and investigative standards for ICAC, emphasizing the need for quality case management and oversight to prevent abuses. However, the reality is that these standards are often ignored in practice, with supervisors failing to ensure proper conduct and accountability【62†source】.

In my case, I have repeatedly requested a full forensic analysis, but it has yet to be properly conducted. This is a crucial step in proving that evidence was tampered with, and yet it remains an uphill battle to get the truth uncovered.

The Crushing Burden on Families

While law enforcement likes to tout these sting operations as necessary for the safety of children, the truth is that they destroy innocent families. Since my wrongful arrest, my family has been torn apart—emotionally, mentally, and financially. The same system that claims to protect children has victimized mine. My wife and three children, who are 22, 19, and 15, have all been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of the public nature of my arrest and the ensuing trial. My mugshot was plastered online, shaming me before any trial had even begun. The trauma inflicted upon my children is real and lasting.

The irony is bitter: while the Washington County Sheriff’s Office claims to protect children from harm, it is my own children who have been deeply and irreparably harmed by this reckless, deceitful system. They have endured public humiliation, emotional trauma, and financial instability, all because the system targeted me in a manufactured crime. The pain of this irony cuts deep, knowing that my own childhood was marred by sexual abuse and PTSD—a trauma I have worked my entire life to heal from.

Yet here I am, entrapped by the very system that purports to protect people like me and my children.

Fighting for Basic Rights

Since my wrongful conviction, I’ve struggled to find and maintain employment. Each time I secure a job, I’m quickly fired once employers discover my mugshot online. In a cruel twist, the very internet that was used to entrap me has become a barrier to rebuilding my life. I now request a simple adjustment to my probation—to allow me access to the internet so I can work as a civil designer. This is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. Without access, I am cut off from my profession, my livelihood, and my ability to provide for my family.

Moreover, I’ve been in therapy every week since my arrest, working to manage the trauma this case has inflicted on me and my family. My therapy, conducted via online sessions, is another reason I need internet access—it is crucial for my mental health and recovery. Denying me this access is not only unjust but inhumane. It strips me of my ability to seek healing, rehabilitation, and a path forward.

The Corrupt, Callous System Must Change

This is bigger than just me. This is about the thousands of men across the country who are wrongfully accused and trapped by these manipulative sting operations. It’s about the families left in ruins, the children who are truly victimized by a system designed to destroy lives for profit. Law enforcement, empowered by faulty funding models and incentivized by inflated statistics, must be held accountable. The courts, which allow entrapment and evidence tampering to slide by unchallenged, must be reformed.

The justice system has been hijacked by a dangerous, self-serving agenda. And until we confront the corruption at its core, more innocent people will be sacrificed to this machine.

I refuse to be silent. I will continue to fight this injustice for myself, for my family, and for all those who have been wrongfully entrapped by this broken system. The truth must come to light, and real justice—justice based on facts, integrity, and fairness—must prevail.

Jeremy Clingman is a civil designer, mental health advocate, and wrongfully convicted survivor of a proactive sting operation.