Marvin Villereal is facing felony charges of first degree sexual assault for sleeping with a 19 year old girl. Why? Because she's not 19, she's 14. In a twist that makes this story unique in the annals of statutory rape cases, her mother is coming to his defense, saying her daughter "did manipulate him, she did lie to him about her age. I feel she is destroying someone else's life." The prosecutor says that doesn't matter: "If the individual is older than 19 years of age and the victim is younger than 16, it is statutory rape, and ignorance of her age or mistake of that is not a defense."
On my show this afternoon, only one caller thought this guy should be prosecuted. Everyone else in the on-air jury said they'd find him not guilty. One suggested that the girl should be held responsible for entrapping him.
A few guys shared similar personal horror stories, including one guy who did jail time after he met a girl in a bar and took her home -- she'd been there having a drink, so he assumed she was at least 21, but she was underage, using a fake ID. So even if he'd checked her driver's license, a impractical suggestion some others made, he still could have been charged.
In an age where parents are letting their tween girls dress like prostitots, this problem will only get worse, and more guys will find themselves facing a situation they never dreamed of.