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by framecowbird 1642 days ago
Is this entrapment? He isn't coercing people to commit a crime, but he is encouraging it
1 comments

No.

A) he's not law enforcement.

B) entrapment laws vary by jurisdiction, but I'm unaware of any where a private citizen sending in information about someone contacting them to commit a crime is problematic.

What if you have a longstanding relationship with law enforcement, and you run a site called "Contact Me, I Will Commit A Crime For You"?
My understanding is that even if police were running that site it would still be fine, unless the site is actively reaching out to people encouraging them.

Standing on the corner selling drugs to people who ask: ok

Standing on the corner, asking people "hey, wanna buy some weed": borderline but probably still not entrapment

Standing on the corner, asking people "hey, wanna buy some weed", then pestering those who say "no thanks": Entrapment.

An undercover agent becoming a friend with someone, then pressuring them to buy weed for him even though that person really doesn't want to: very clearly entrapment.