April 28, 2013 | Online

Man accused of raping guys he met online

A Seattle man is being accused of using apps like GROWLr and SCRUFF to meet men, and then raping and robbing them.

Laverne Lee Maxwell, 32, has been charged with seven felony charges stemming from a days-long crime spree, and seems to have targeted bears.

The charges state that he used the smart phone that belonged with the mother of his two-year-old child in order to contact the men. However, he denies the allegations, claiming he had consensual sex with the men and never robbed them.

He is accused of first-degree rape, three counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of unlawful gun possession and one count of first-degree burglary. He is also an 11-time felon.

Coley Cummiskey, CEO of GROWLr, confirmed that he has been questioned by police about these cases and provided them with what information he could.

"I have just put out a general announcement to all our members to say have fun but stay safe," he added. "'We suggest when you do meet up to do so with a friend and in a very public place. Our members' safety is very important to us and we don't want anything to happen to them but using common sense seems the most important thing."

SCRUFF founders Eric Silverberg and Johnny Skadros, however, say they have not been contacted by police about these cases. However, they released a statement saying:  'We take reports of harassment, threats and other illegal activity very seriously, and cooperate with local law enforcement to ensure swift and proper prosecution of such cases. Ultimately, we encourage all of our members to be safe and smart when meeting one another in person for the first time when using any social media app or website."

A sobering reminder that you have to be very careful when hooking up with someone you don't know.

Gunman robbed and raped bears he met on dating apps [Gay Star News]