Thursday, April 28, 2011

Charlotte Man Sent to Prison for Luring Girl on Internet for Sex

Kareem Kirk
On April 25, 2011, the trial of NC -v- Kareem Kirk came before a jury in the Mecklenburg County courthouse with Superior Court Judge Christopher Collier presiding.  Kirk was found guilty of two counts of abduction of a child and four counts of statutory rape.  He was sentenced to 32-39 years in prison for the rape charges and 2 years for abducting a child.  His sentences are to be served consecutively. 

The state showed evidence to the jury that on July 3, 2007, a 15-year old girl was reported missing by her parents in Springfield, Mass.  During the 'missing child' investigation, officers searched the girl's computer and found e-mails showing a man (Kirk) had been pursuing an online relationship with her for nearly two years.  In the e-mails, Kirk told the young girl he was Muslim and wanted to make her his second wife as well as convincing her to send him bare photos.  Kirk is married with four children.

On the day the girl disappeared, Kareem Kirk drove 800 miles to Massachusetts to pick her up and bring her back to Charlotte, NC.  The child was found by the CMPD four days later, sitting on a park bench in the University Area.  The victim told police that the defendant had made her dress in Muslim garb and engaged in oral and anal sex with her while she was here in Charlotte.  The child was reunited with her family in Massachusetts and Kirk was arrested.