April 7, 2006 | Sex & Society

Homeland Security official charged

Brian Doyle -- a senior public information officer in the U.S. Homeland Security Department faces 23 felony counts of using a computer to seduce a child and transmitting harmful materials to a minor - even though there was no real victim.

Doyle was caught up in a sting set up by Polk County, Fla. detectives in which they created fake profiles of teen girls on MySpace, the networking site that is hugely popular with young people.

The sheriff's office alleges that Doyle, 56, used MySpace to seduce what he thought was a 14-year-old girl; the 'girl' was really a police officer. Doyle is alleged to have suggested the two hook up for sex and to have sent porn videos to her. He also sent the non-existent girl a photo of himself wearing a Homeland Security lapel pin.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office has a zero-tolerance policy on all adult-oriented businesses, including strip clubs and adult bookstores, and so closed in on Doyle just weeks after initial contact. As to how someone is Doyle's position could be so foolish as to engage in a game of online teen seduction - perhaps some light will be shed at trial.

• Homeland worker allegedly boasted to 'girl' in porn sting [SF Gate]