Lauren Nelson won the Miss America pageant on a platform of internet safety for children. Where past winners said “world peace” but just wanted fashion deals, this one’s putting her money-maker where her mouth is, to turn a tasty phrase.

Suffolk County police working in conjunction with John Walsh’s “America’s Most Wanted” organized the sting. Nelson went into internet chat rooms posing as herself, only six-years-younger, complete with actual photos. It didn’t take long for a gander of creepy overage men to make their equally illegal and icky designs known to her.

They set up meetings, reiterated how very young she was, and the trap was set. She’d stand on the porch to wave them inside, as to assure them that she really was there, but inside was all police officers and cameras. At least four men were arrested, six more are under investigation.

Stopping four to ten child sex predators is a drop in the ocean, but once the word gets out that many of these potential victims are police, it is hoped that would-be child rapists will think twice. From the publicity generated by this event, it is also hoped that people will want to watch the Miss America pageant again, but that is just a dream.

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