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Ohio: Laws don't cover case of fake boy
DAYTON, Ohio, Ohio officials say a woman pretending to be a boy to have sex with teenage girls can't be charged with a felony -- because they can't find a relevant law.
A search of Ohio law failed to find any felony fitting the facts of Patricia Dye, 31, accused of pretending to be a teenage boy named Matt to have sexual relationships with teenage girls, the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News reported Sunday.
"It's something we looked at extensively," Matt Nolan, Warren County prosecutor's office spokesman said. "There's nothing like that."
Dye faces no prison, and at most nine months in the county jail, if convicted of misdemeanor charges against her.
Cases involving women pretending to be boys to lure girls into sexual relationships are "virtually non-existent," Tracey Steele, director of Wright State University's Criminal Justice program, said.
Dye was arrested June 30 after a 16-year-old runaway accused Dye of having sexual contact with her, the newspaper said.
After the arrest, another Ohio family told police Dye pretended to be a boy while dating their 16-year-old daughter.
There was outrage when a grand jury declined to bring any felony charges against Dye.
She was charged of sexual imposition and attempted sexual imposition, both misdemeanors, the Daily News said.
"There's no doubt we're as unhappy as anyone out there that there isn't a more high-level crime," Nolan said.
To be convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a felony, prosecutors would have to prove Dye's victims were younger than 16, Nolan said.
DAYTON, Ohio, Ohio officials say a woman pretending to be a boy to have sex with teenage girls can't be charged with a felony -- because they can't find a relevant law.
A search of Ohio law failed to find any felony fitting the facts of Patricia Dye, 31, accused of pretending to be a teenage boy named Matt to have sexual relationships with teenage girls, the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News reported Sunday.
"It's something we looked at extensively," Matt Nolan, Warren County prosecutor's office spokesman said. "There's nothing like that."
Dye faces no prison, and at most nine months in the county jail, if convicted of misdemeanor charges against her.
Cases involving women pretending to be boys to lure girls into sexual relationships are "virtually non-existent," Tracey Steele, director of Wright State University's Criminal Justice program, said.
Dye was arrested June 30 after a 16-year-old runaway accused Dye of having sexual contact with her, the newspaper said.
After the arrest, another Ohio family told police Dye pretended to be a boy while dating their 16-year-old daughter.
There was outrage when a grand jury declined to bring any felony charges against Dye.
She was charged of sexual imposition and attempted sexual imposition, both misdemeanors, the Daily News said.
"There's no doubt we're as unhappy as anyone out there that there isn't a more high-level crime," Nolan said.
To be convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a felony, prosecutors would have to prove Dye's victims were younger than 16, Nolan said.
