Man At Center Of Plastic Gun Debate Faces Sex Assault Charge

AUSTIN, TEXAS — The Austin man who gained national prominence after plans to publish blueprints on the Internet to make plastic guns faces a charge of sexual assault after allegedly paying to have sex with a 16-year-old girl, police said Wednesday.

Commander Troy Officer of the Austin Police Department detailed the case against Cody Wilson at an afternoon press conference at police headquarters. He said an arrest warrant was issued for Wilson on Wednesday amid allegations he had sex with the minor after having met her via a site called SugarDaddyMeet.com.

Officer said a counselor notified police on Aug. 22 after the girl told her she had sex with a 30-year-old man a week before, and was paid $500, according to police. The man later was identified as Wilson, Officer said.

Police said the girl's story was later corroborated through video surveillance footage from the hotel that served as the rendezvous point as well as interviews with witnesses. Wilson later was identified by matching his driver's license photo with images obtained of him in the course of meeting with the girl, Officer noted. Given the evidence, police issued an arrest warrant for Wilson on Wednesday, only to learn he had fled the country.

Officer said Wilson's last known location was in Taipei, Taiwan, and he missed his return flight back to the U.S. The officer declined to say if Wilson intentionally fled the country, noting he often travels for business, but allowed that Wilson was notified of the girl's allegations by a friend of the victim prior to his flight.

Asked why a sexual assault charge was filed rather than sexual assault of a child, Officer said the former is a subset of the latter, suggesting the charge was filed toward a tactic of expediency. But he said other charges could be filed: "We're still investigating, and there's always the potential for other crimes to be charged. But we felt legally sound to file this particular charge."

Information related to Wilson has since been shared on a national law enforcement database related to sexual assault trafficking crimes, Officer said, and the APD is working with national and international law enforcement agencies to bring him to justice.

The girl told police she created an account on the website and began exchanging messages with a man who went by the screen name "Sanjuro," police said. The two began to message online and later exchanged graphic photos of each other, according to police.

Related story: Judge Blocks Austin Plastic Gun Maker From Publishing Blueprints

After meeting at a coffee shop, the two went to a local hotel to have sex, according to police. Wilson later dropped the girl off at a fast food restaurant after paying her $500 for sex, police said. While the girl wasn't identified given her status as a minor and sexual assault victim, Officer said she lives in Central Texas.

If convicted, Wilson faces a charge of sexual assault, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.

Officer demurred on questions about whether the SugarDaddyMeet.com website would be part of the investigation given the arrest warrant for Wilson. Some reporters at the press conference pressed to gain information related to the girl, asking if the fact she's underage despite a disclaimer on the page that users have to be at least 18 would somehow figure into the investigation.

The immediate focus, Officer said in response, is on the underage victim: "At this point, we're concentrating on the victim as well as other potential victims from being victimized," the police commander said. "The Internet has created a whole new wave of potential new places for predators as well as people to be victimized. At this point, we're concentrating on the victim."

During the police press briefing, Officer made a point to warn others inclined to solicit sex in exchange for money whether the aim is to engage a minor or an adult.

"To me, this is also a cautionary tale," Officer said. "Every time you solicit, whether it's a child or whether it's an adult, if you pay for sex, that's illegal. This happens to be a child. I don't know that my detectives have ever sat down with a predator who said willingly 'I knew the victim was underage.' I'm not even trying to guess Wilson's motive. But we do know that based on the victim and the investigation, he had sexual contact with a 16-year-old girl, which in the state of Texas is illegal."

He urged members of the public who may have additional information on the case to call (512) 472-TIPS.

Wilson garnered national headlines when he launched the Wiki Weapon Project aimed at designing and constructing the first gun made from durable plastic on a 3D printer, with a goal of making the weapon plans widely available to the public.

As he was poised to make the blueprints public, Wilson was sued by 19 states to prevent the publication of the plans while citing the danger to national security and the public. Opponents' arguments are predicated on the untraceable nature of the guns, undetected by metal detectors and lacking serial numbers found on traditional firearms.

A Seattle federal judge recently agreed with the litigants' arguments, issuing an order last month that blocked Wilson's plans. Wilson responded the day after the ruling with a press conference to announce he had started to sell the plans, saying the judge's order only stopped online publication and not distribution by mail or other secure means. He subsequently launched a website serving as portal to buy plans on making the plastic guns.

Wilson's defiance in the face of mouting litigation seeking to block his plans was in full display in an Aug. 31 tweet when he boasted of having raised thousands of dollars in promoting his cause and launching a tutorial website. "State AGs, thanks for playing," he added tauntingly, referencing the attorneys generals who sought to block his plans to publish instructions on printing plastic guns:

The site SugarDaddyMeet.com describes itself as the "largest and safest sugar daddy dating platform for wealthy sugar daddies and female sugar babies seeking mutual benefits." It describes male users of the site as "...rich and successful men, such as doctors, lawyers, busy professionals, financiers, benefactors and the like." Its aim: "Single or married, no time for games? Looking to support and pamper women who will treat you like a King? Are you interested in a discreet and mutually beneficial relationship? It's time to be a Sugar Daddy! Single sugar babies are looking for mature and successful men."

Female users dubbed "sugar babies" are described on the site as "...young and attractive women. Beautiful, intelligent and classy college students, aspiring actresses or models." In a sales pitch of sorts to garner their patronage, the site reads: "Struggling in the early part of your career? Want good living along with the finer things in life? Looking for a mature partner to pamper, mentor and take care of you - perhaps financially? You will make the perfect Sugar Baby!"

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Top image: Cody Wilson, AP Photo/Eric Gay