I’m not paranoid; I’m a parent – and an investigator. And I’ve seen too many cases like the “Magic Jeff” case – the former youth minister from a Kennesaw, Georgia church named Jeffrey Alan Wasley, 39, who was sentenced to 20-years in federal prison this week in Atlanta.

A security guard from a local Target store reported Wasley to police when a little boy said “Magic Jeff” wanted to help him tuck in his shirt in the restroom of the store.

When they searched his home, police discovered over 17,000 images of child pornography on Wasley’s computer. The pornographic images that police found included images of six boys in the restrooms of several Metro Atlanta Target and Walmart stores.

Wasley did not fight the charges, though he did try to kill himself when police decided to make the arrest. Wasley barricading himself in his garage, cut his wrists and neck and stabbed himself multiple times.

He had also left an apologetic note to his wife and children. Police say that, in addition to the pornographic images, they found the manuscript of a novel he was writing about a child molester who had been abused as a child.

Following his prison sentence, Wasley will be on the probation for the rest of his life. He admitted to the charges from the beginning and has agreed not to appeal the sentence in the future.

But back to the matter at hand.

I’m certainly not saying that parents who allow their kids to go to into public restrooms alone are bad parents. Not at all. Heaven knows, when you’re in the middle of a meal with the family at a restaurant or you’re trying to grab some groceries with the kids in tow and get out of the store in time to get home and make dinner, you just get sidetracked sometimes. And, of course, when your child needs to go, it’s usually right then!

So, you say “fine” and give a quick look as to the general location of the restroom – and let them go. It’s a fairly common occurrence. No problem, right? Besides, kids want to be “grown up” and they want to go to the restroom alone because they feel it makes them more “grown up” – because they see the older kids and adults do it. It’s perfectly logical in their young minds.

But, as the parent, you have to keep in mind that these people – like “Magic Jeff” – are out there…and not just out there “somewhere else.” They are out there in your neighborhood. They infiltrate family settings and public venues where children play and learn. And they lay in wait – for that innocent child. Our job as parents is to remember to be vigilant.

So, go the restroom with them. I use to make it seem to my little boy that I just happened to be going at the same time. Once I saw the room was clear, I’d just happen to finish up before him and let him know that I would be “right outside” the door. Even though it was only a minute or two, it gave him a sense of being on his own, without really being on his own.

Let a friend or sibling go with them. There is safety in numbers. Of course, you still keep an eye on the door to see who comes and goes.

Finally, report anything suspicious. If some guy steps out of the ladies room – let someone know…right then! If you notice a guy just loitering in the men’s room, report it…right then!

And let me be perfectly clear and absolutely “politically incorrect” about this; I’m not concerned with, nor could I care any less at all, whether child molesters were once victims of child abuse. I don’t care about their excuses – those are issues for therapists. My concern is the safety of my kids – and getting these “pervs” off of the street – or out of the restroom, as the case may be.

But don’t fool yourself – that “tradition” is most often a “right of passage”. 

You remember.  Think back – Prom Night.  Remember?  Yep!  That’s right, and now your little angel is about to leave her warm, cozy and protected nest to go to the Prom with “what’s his name”. 

Now are you worried?  You should be.  But I may have a few ideas that will ease the tension in your neck and keep you from making that white-knuckle fist when you see “what’s his name” begin to salivate at the sight of your sweet, innocent little girl playing “dress-up” in grown up ladies’ clothes.

First, be direct.  You can still be polite (although, who cares at this point, right?).  When the boy walks in the door, as your little angel is putting the final touches on her make up for the evening back in her room, just grip his hand like a vice and smile.  Then in a low, soft tone look him directly in the eye and say, “I’m so glad you’ll be escorting my daughter tonight.  She means the world to her mother and me and I would do anything to protect her.  So, I can rest assured that nothing…nothing will happen to her, right?”

At this point, casually lead him over to your collection of firearms in the gun case and show him your favorite weapon, making sure to point out its stopping power.

“I find the Glock Model G36 Compact .45 ACP with a Single Stack Magazine, like the one I’m holding here, (pull back the slide and let it slam shut for full psychological effect) performs most effectively, especially when using 230-grain Hydra-Shok rounds.   Traveling at 900 feet  per second, it’s just a bit slower than say, my 9mm, but, WOW!  What stopping power…unbelievable.  It’ll drop a full grown man…like one your size…dead in his tracks.”  Be sure to chuckle so he thinks you’re really crazy enough to pull the trigger.

Then, just before your little angel makes her grand entrance, tell him you’ll need to make a photocopy of his driver’s license…just to have on file.  I usually let them know that, as a private investigator, I’ll be running a background check on them when they leave – just routine, ya’ know – and if it’s clear then there won’t be any problems. 

Finally, look at them both and say, “No drugs.  No drinking.  And no sex.  Got it?  Now, you two have a nice time.”

She’ll be embarrassed that you were so brazen.  He’ll just be in shock.  And the likelihood of them sneaking off somewhere to have sex will drop dramatically…because all he’ll be able to think about is that Glock and your cold as steel eyes.

Do you think I’m joking?  Not hardly.  Nothing is more precious than that little girl who is suddenly all grown up – or so she thinks.

Have you ever wished you could spy on your spouse for a day or plant a camera in your home to watch the babysitter? You might have thought you were taking things a little too far, but private investigators use these and many other tactics to uncover secrets in people’s professional and personal lives. While PIs have been around for decades, their assistance is becoming more and more popular, as problems like fraudulence in the workplace, cheating spouses, child mistreatment and corporate corruption become increasingly common. . . . If you are curious about the work PIs do or are thinking about hiring one yourself, read on to ensure you’ll find one who is credible, reliable, experienced and honest. 

When working with a private investigator, communication and honesty are of the utmost importance. “Trust is essential,” says Holly Hunter, owner of Hunter Investigations, an Alpharetta-based PI firm. . . . "If you’re seeking a divorce, you’re entrusting the most intimate details of your life to a private investigator,” she says. “You’re trusting the investigator to act lawfully. You’re also trusting the investigator to do everything he or she can to obtain the information you need and has been truthful with you about their activity. That trust can’t be broken.”

Hunter, an unassuming, blue-eyed, blonde mother of three is an Atlanta native who looks like she would spend most of her days running errands for her family and volunteering at her church – which she does, in addition to her work as a PI. Her daily schedule usually involves high-tech information gathering and low-profile surveillance.

Hunter’s quiet demeanor allows her to waltz in and out of situations and strike up conversations by either chatting up unsuspecting female interviewees or spreading a hint of “Southern charm” on male targets. Before long, she obtains the information she needs and, like a Navy Seal, has left the area without leaving so much as a footprint.

You can read the entire article at Atlanta Life Magazine.