There are moments when evil reaches so closely to the deepest depths of hell as to render many of us choking for the right words. On February 6, the Volusia County Sherriff’s Office in Florida published a series of text messages that reveal how dark the human heart can be. After arresting two men on a variety of charges relating to sex assault and child pornography, the sherriff’s office made the decision to share some of the text messages from the arrested men on Facebook to help warn and educate the public about how sexual predators groom their victims.
The text messages are vile. They’re so vile that the Volusia County Sherriff’s Office included this disclaimer at the top of their Facebook post: “Warning: Difficult to read, and not for young audiences.” After a brief description of how the suspects were discovered, the sherriff’s office added, “These aren’t a complete record of the text messages exchanged between Worster and Best, but they’re still graphic.”
Because the text messages are so graphic, I’m linking to the Volusia County Sherriff’s tweet that directs people to their Facebook post. I don’t want the vile words of those tweets splashed across PJ Media’s page. I’m also going to be very selective in what I quote. Like the sherriff’s office, I too urge caution before clicking over and reading the post. And I would also like to add that parents should consider clicking over to further educate themselves about how the minds of pedophiles work and how they go about grooming their victims. Evil exists in this world, and ignorance of it allows it to continue unchallenged.
We've arrested Lafe Best on a charge of conspiracy to commit sexual battery on a 3-year-old girl. The plot was discovered in a series of text messages with another defendant, facing lewd/lascivious and child porn charges. Warning: difficult to read. https://t.co/LcPO9Fjfpl pic.twitter.com/zGEmrrqUA1
— Volusia Sheriff (@VolusiaSheriff) February 6, 2019
Benjamin Worster and Lafe Best were arrested because the three-year-old victim’s mother discovered the text messages on Worster’s phone. The down-on-her-luck mother was staying at his apartment. After her daughter told her that Worster had touched her, the mother checked his phone while he was in the hospital being treated for a drug overdose. The Volusia County Sherriff’s Facebook post reveals that the mother then “discovered a text message thread with someone named ‘Lafe,’ and a sickening description of a plan to groom and rape the 3-year-old girl, whether she was conscious or not.”
As I warned above, the text messages are disgustingly graphic. Keep in mind, the sheriff’s office didn’t publish the most graphic texts. (FYI: I’m not correcting any of the grammar and/or typos in the texts I share.) The first text from Worster to Lafe sets the stage for the grooming. In it, Worster confesses, “Single mom&Has a 3 year old daughter&Shes not a very good mom and she ignored her daughter constantly&2nd day of meeting her daughter she ran up to give me a hug and buried her head right in my crotch&So im gonna get to work on that.”
The texts get worse from there.
At one point, Lafe tells Worster, “I’d prefer awake if we can manage it without repercussions.” In reply, Worster laments, “Yeah but beggers cant be choosers&Gotta feel this one out and see what shes like and how she can keep secrets and how easily she can be trained before I worry about the drastic things.”
Thankfully, the suspected child rapists were caught this time. Sadly, though, evil often escapes notice until it’s too late. Let’s hope that the sheriff’s Facebook post will help people be more alert and diligent in protecting children. and watching out for evil.
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