A Florida man, Stevenson Charles, aged 23, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to a series of charges, including false imprisonment, aggravated sodomy, kidnapping, armed robbery, and aggravated assault. According to a report by FOX 5 Atlanta, Charles' crimes involved the kidnapping, robbery, and sexual assault of a Lawrenceville couple in November 2022, incidents that began with a connection made through the dating app "Scruff".

Meeting with one of the victims initially under pretenses facilitated by the dating app on Nov. 10, 2022, the victim was coerced into performing a sexual act at gunpoint, then subjected to robbery. Joined by the victim's spouse, Charles compelled the couple, under duress, to take him to their home, where he kidnapped them and forced them to purchase gift cards at various retail locations before absconding with the items. Gwinnett County Assistant District Attorney Scott Estes, of the Special Victims Unit, handled the plea agreement that led to this life sentence which carries the potential for parole, as reported by WSB-TV.

The case observed in Gwinnett County is one among several offenses linked to Charles, the authorities pointed out. In 2023, he was convicted on similar charges in Florida involving carjacking, kidnapping, and robbery of five individuals, most of whom were also ensnared via the Grindr dating app. Further still, Charles faces formidable challenges in the form of murder and armed robbery charges in DeKalb County for crimes allegedly committed within the same time frame.

Reflecting on the sentence, Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson delivered a stark warning, "Be careful not to allow yourself to become a victim by hooking up with strangers on dating apps." a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta.

This warning comes in hindsight of the egregious acts committed by Charles, who the District Attorney also described as having "absolutely outrageous" behavior. "We are pleased with this life sentence, and we hope this resolution gives justice to the individuals he targeted," Austin-Gatson declared, as noted by WSB-TV.