The principal, the FBI agent and the text messages that exposed a sinister predator

The investigation was launched when an FBI agent in Oregon posed as a 12-yr-old girl on Whisper.

PUBLISHED SEP 5, 2024

Authorities tracked Joe Kinney’s IP address and traced it to his home in Goodyear.

Please note that this article contains some graphic descriptions of criminal activity. Some readers may find it upseting.

Buckeye, Arizona: In a case that has shocked Buckeye, the 42-year-old principal of Buckeye Union High School, Joe Kinney, has been arrested after being caught in an FBI sting operation involving child sex crimes.

The investigation was launched when an FBI agent in Oregon posed as a 12-year-old girl on the anonymous social media app, Whisper. According to court documents, Kinney initiated inappropriate conversations, continuing to engage with the agent even after they disclosed their age.

Kinney reportedly stated that he didn’t mind the age difference, going as far as to express his desire to meet and "rescue" the girl, adding they would have a "good time".

Kinney allegedly told the victim that she should “get cozy in her bed and take off her clothes". The agent then told Kinney that she was 12 years old, to which Kinney responded, “I don’t mind your age,” court documents state.

Kinney’s comments then turned sexual, and the agent repeated that she was only 12 years old. Court documents say Kinney then asked the girl for nude photos, but she refused.

The conversation continued until the next day when Kinney told the girl he was at work. The girl asked if he had a fun job, and then the conversation ended, according to court documents.

Authorities tracked Kinney’s IP address and traced it to his home in Goodyear. Police in the area pulled him over near Elliot Road and San Miguel Road, and he was taken into custody on Tuesday. Kinney was booked on one count of luring a minor for sexual exploitation.

The Buckeye Union High School District informed families that Kinney had been placed on administrative leave while under police investigation for a personal matter not related to his work with the school district. The assistant principal, Kristin Kok, will temporarily take over Kinney’s duties while the investigation continues.

Kinney, who admitted to speaking to multiple girls on the app, claimed he believed they were adults engaging in role-play. He now faces charges related to child exploitation.