Bail set at $100,000 for man who lured teens online
A Coconut Creek man accused of using dummy Facebook profiles to convince teenage girls to have sex with him for money, can go free while he awaits trial, a Broward judge ruled Tuesday. But Tadd Link Clukey, 44, will have to come up with a $100,000 bond. Clukey has been held at the Paul Rein Detention Facility in Pompano Beach since March 11.
Prosecutors charged Clukey with multiple counts of lewd and lascivious molestation and traveling to meet a minor for sex. He was also charged with two counts of human trafficking because he enticed the girls to become prostitutes in the first place, according to prosecutors. More charges are pending.
“He was seeking out these underage women for his sexual preferences,” said Assistant State Attorney Danielle Dudai.
Margate police detective Paul Christman, who testified at Clukey’s bond hearing Tuesday, said he traced three Facebook profiles to Clukey’s home and business address. The profiles of Kaitlyn, Amanda and Megan appeared to be teenage girls, but Clukey was behind them all, Christman said.
Using those profiles, according to Christman, Clukey befriended real girls, found out their ages, and asked them if they would be willing to have sex with an older man for money. He then arranged to meet the girls who said yes.
Prosecutors wanted Clukey held without bond because human trafficking is a first-degree felony punishable by life in prison.
But Broward Circuit Judge Bernard Bober agreed with defense lawyer Sean Conway, who argued that the evidence against Clukey is not overwhelming enough to withhold bond. Bober imposed a $50,000 bond on each of the human trafficking charges, on top of the $49,000 in bonds he’s already posted on the lesser charges.
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Republished by the Law Office of Scott A. Ferris, P.A.