BUFFALO, N.Y. — Dating sites and apps are seen by many as a way to navigate the maze of meeting that special someone.
But at the same time, they’re also acting as a gateway for offenders.
This weekend, the Buffalo Police Department announced the arrest of 31-year-old Dave McKeever for allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl on Mineral Springs Road back on July 28.
Authorities say the two met on an online dating site and that the victim’s mother reported the incident to police about a week after it occurred.
RELATED ARTICLE: Buffalo man charged with raping a teen
Former FBI agent Holly Hubert said what happened in South Buffalo last summer happens all across the country. She says repeat underage offenses like this one are almost twice as likely as any other crime.
Many of these apps and sites don’t have an age requirement. The ones that do are easy to bypass.
“People would just lie,” she told 2 On Your Side. “People are going to find ways to communicate, especially child offenders. They're very motivated to offend.”
Hubert said that motivation prompts offenders to manipulate their victims and convince them that they are their friends.
Because of this, she believes that parents need to regularly have conversations with their children about their online habits and closely monitor their activity.
“A lot of parents try to be friends with their children, and essentially they wouldn't invade their child's privacy by going on the phone,” Hubert told 2 On Your Side. “I think that’s a bad idea.”