I know someone who reported a child porn website to the FBI, specifically ic3.gov. This person found this site while surfing the web on smart phone. This person was only on the site long enough to notice the picture, but got off the site right away. This person did not stay on the site long enough to write down the UR. This person spoke to their local FBI duty agent and was given ic3.gov to file a complaint. This person asked the FBI duty agent if describing the image in detail would make the FBI start looking at him/her. The FBI agent stated he cannot guarantee that they won't. This person did file a complaint but now is paranoid that he/she will be investigated by the FBI even though he/she was just trying to do the right thing. This person feels guilty for stumbling across this site but assures me that he/she was not knowingly or willingly looking for child porn websites. I know this person and believe him/her. But my question is, should this person worry about being registered as a sex offender, put on Megan's list, worry about being spending time in jail? Is this person overreacting? I know child pornography is a federal offense, but can this turn around and bite him/her when this person was just trying to do the right thing?
How can anyone know what one of those initial agencies will do?
Truth is, only those embedded within the initial agencies know what they will do, whom they will strike out at, and when they will strike a life destroying blow against Joe Sixpack, or Jane Buttercup.
All you need to do, if approached as a criminal target, suspect, or person of interest by one of the initial wearing, badge carrying, gun toting "life ruiners" is simply decline to be interviewed, immediately invoke your right to remain silent, and request a lawyer.
Now, those federales are quite clever, and many attempts will be made to get you to blab, tell your side of the story, defend your innocence, and many other diabolical ways of getting you to open up and blab, simply stand firm, and be that strong, yet silent type.
If you are arrested, same drill, same advice, to paraphrase Smokey The Bear, "Only you can prevent your words from being used against you in court of law!"
By the way, the reason people shouldn't blab, quite obvious when you listen to their tortured explanations of SODDI (some other dude did it).
Funny thing is, I've practiced law for decades, defended a few PERVERTS and MOLESTERS, and never stumbled onto a "kiddie porn" (oxymoron, more like KIDDIE EXPLOITATION site). I've had to visit a few, see some screen grans from some, in order to prepare a defense of my clients; but in all my life, never have I STUMBLED onto such a site.
If I did, which I won't, I'd immediately get off that site and move on.
I wouldn't worry about one of those initial wearing types visiting me.
Good luck to you, buddy.