Crime, Kids, Law Schools, Sex, Sex Scandals

To Catch an Alleged Law School Predator

A 3L was arrested last week for allegedly trying to solicit a child (who turned out to be an undercover officer). Is the 3L still in law school, and if so, where?

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On Friday, we mentioned an East Coast law school student who was arrested for allegedly trying to meet up and have sex with an undercover officer posing as an underage girl. We’ve received numerous tips about the icky news, and we wanted to provide the full, sordid story.

This 3L might have some trouble passing a character and fitness review — or graduating, for that matter. Keep reading for the details (and to learn where he went to law school)….

Christopher D. Ginelli is — or “was,” as you’ll see below — a 3L at Widener University School of Law. He was arrested last Thursday in a “To Catch a Predator”-style sting. Here’s how Delaware Online reports the story:

A Delaware law student was arrested Thursday for soliciting an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl over the internet.

Christopher D. Ginelli, 26, of Lakewood, N.J., was charged with four counts of sexual solicitation of a child, said Jason Miller, spokesman for the state Attorney General’s Office.

Ginelli, a third-year law student at Widener University, was found to have solicited the fictional girl in several online chat sessions trying to get her to meet and have sex with him.

Oooh. Not cool, bro. Ginelli isn’t the first law student or lawyer to be accused of an inappropriate interest in young people — see also Stephen McDaniel and Edward De Sear, accused of child pornography possession, and Joshua Gessler, accused of possession and production — but that doesn’t make these allegations any less appalling.

The story gets worse (and more humiliating), when we learn that Ginelli was arrested in his dorm:

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Further investigation led detectives to Widener University School of Law as the origin of the communications.

Thursday, members of the Child Predator Task Force raided Ginelli’s residence in the university’s Shipley Hall Dormitory on Concord Pike and seized a laptop computer and assorted other digital media and arrested him.

The forensic analysis of the computer equipment is continuing.

Man, not a great way to end your finals week.

The charges against Ginelli are obviously unsettling. If the allegations are true, I think it’s safe to say that many (if not most) clients would be uncomfortable being represented by an attorney with such a background.

Even though the situation might appear fairly straightforward and foul (and serious enough that he was arrested in his on-campus dorm), Ginelli is still innocent until proven guilty. It will be interesting to see where the case leads.

Regardless of whether the allegations do turn out to be correct, it looks like Ginelli’s legal career might be over before it starts (although you never know — see the story of Bruce Reilly, a convicted murderer turned law student). We reached out to Widener Law, and a spokesperson gave us the following statement: “He is no longer a student. His status is withdrawn.“

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Feels bad, man. Seriously, fellas, if work is getting you down and you’re stressed out and need some release, that’s fine. Do what you gotta do. But there are plenty of places to receive physical attention from attractive, smart women — who are also not children. I’m just sayin’.

Officials: Law student solicited undercover officer [Delaware Online]

Earlier: Non-Sequiturs: 05.11.12
Hacksaw McDaniel Accused of Child Pornography Possession
Allen & Overy Partner Accused of Kiddie Porn Purveyance
More About the Former Biglaw Partner Accused of Child Porn Distribution
Lawyer of the Day: Arnold & Porter Associate Accused of Kiddie Porn Production

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