Man accused of posting sex assault live on Web

[June 04, 2009]  Phoenix [AP] A man accused of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman while broadcasting it live on the Internet is known in online circles for racy posts that include sexually explicit images of himself.

Police said Jonathon Richard Hock, 20, assaulted the woman he'd been dating for about two weeks after she became drunk and passed out at her home.

The alleged Feb. 26 assault was streamed live and two still images were posted on another Web site, according to court documents.

Phoenix police Detective James Holmes said Wednesday that authorities fear there may be more victims, but have no way of knowing until someone comes forward.

Hock, who remains jailed, on Wednesday declined an interview request made through the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, and it's unclear whether he has a lawyer.

Hock lives with his mother, Jenna Cummings, in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise. She told the AP that she had no comment when reached by phone Wednesday.

Hock was arrested Monday and is being held for investigation on two charges of sexual assault, one charge of kidnaping and one charge of taking a surreptitious video.

Viewers who watched the video online told police it showed Hock performing oral sex on the unconscious woman, according to a court document. Police declined to discuss the video's contents, saying only that it depicted a sexual assault.

Holmes said police learned of the broadcast from the woman, who found out about it from friends who had seen it.

"This is terrible, and this is what I'll say about the Internet and cell phones and texting and sexting and Twittering and blogging -- this is very, very dangerous," Holmes said. "I really, really hate to say this, and this sounds bad, but a situation like this is inevitable the way things have been going."

He said the woman is "humiliated, she's embarrassed." Holmes said he's not sure whether Hock's girlfriend knew about his online life. Hock is the subject of fan sites and anti-Hock sites and there are even Hock imitators.

Steven Fruchter, CEO at Stickam.com, the real-time Web video site where the alleged assault was streamed live, said the broadcast was ended immediately after the site was notified and that Stickam.com is investigating how site monitors handled it.

"When the violation was immediately found, the alleged perpetrator was banned and we have an open line of communication with the authorities to provide any data they require," the statement read.

Two still images were posted on the Web site StickyDrama.com, an online tabloid following popular Internet personalities.

Christopher Stone, co-owner and administrator of StickyDrama.com, said he recorded the Stickam.com broadcast because he recognized it as a crime and turned it over to Phoenix police.

Parry Aftab, founder and executive director of WiredSafety.org, a New York-based cyber-neighborhood watch group, said that although the broadcast of the alleged sexual assault is no longer on Stickam.com, it will always be available online somewhere.

"Once somebody grabs it, it moves," she said. "It's like trying to catch a river in your hand."

[Associated Press By AMANDA LEE MYERS]

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