When it comes to anti-porn fanatics, their whole activism is rooted in the fact that they know they cannot trust themselves. Let us refuse to be shamed and dictated to by weak, pathetic perverts.
In 2000, a Michigan entrepreneur named Ron DeHaas co-founded Covenant Eyes, an anti-porn ‘internet accountability’ software program that has since grown to more than 2 million users.
The idea, he announced at the time, was to protect his teenage stepsons from sexual temptation online. But on Aug. 13, one of those stepsons was arrested at a meeting spot in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he thought he would find a 14-year-old girl interested in having sex with him.
Instead, Thomas Wideman, 38, encountered officers from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, including a female detective who had been posing as a teenage girl online.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Wideman began communicating with the detective, Sgt. Anna Birkeland, on July 23 through the Hush app when he responded to her post that said “Heyyyy” and featured a smiling horse. Wideman said he was 37, and Birkeland responded that she was 14.
Wideman then texted how he’d like to touch the girl, which included deep kissing, touching her breasts and pushing his hips into her.
On Aug. 10, he suggested a meeting with the teen where they could “kiss a little and see what happens.” Birkeland expressed interest but said it would have to be when her “mom’s at work and sister at a friends.”
Two days later, Wideman texted Birkeland that he may have secured an apartment where they could meet. When she asked what they would do there, Wideman responded, “Taste every inch of you. Caress your body. Respond to your needs and desires. Let you explore what it’s kind (sic) to have someone completely adore you.”
Wideman and Birkeland scheduled a meeting for Aug. 14, although they selected another location near the address Birkeland provided as her home. Wideman told her to wear something “simple and mature.”
“Definitely something that makes you look older, but whatever feels natural,” he texted. “Nothing with high school names or anything for sure.”
Wideman, who told Birkeland he was married, texted that he would bring condoms but said that even if all they did was make out “it’s still a great day.” He also requested a picture of the girl in her bra but did not receive one.
When Wideman arrived at the meeting spot, officers surrounded his vehicle and arrested him before transporting him to the Kent County Correctional Facility.
They also confiscated his cell phone, where officers say they discovered 12 videos featuring child sexual abuse material. All of the videos included prepubescent or young females, and some were violent, in addition to being sexual in nature.
Wideman has been charged with four counts of using computers to commit a crime, three counts of child sexually abusive activity, and one count of accosting children for immoral purposes. Some of the charges include a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Bond for Wideman was set at $300,000. According to court records, DeHaas helped cover the cost and secure Wideman’s pre-trial release.
A status conference in the case is scheduled for Oct. 14 in Michigan’s 17th Circuit Court before Judge Scott A. Noto.
The statement from NCOSE (which waited until news got out about these crimes, naturally):
WASHINGTON, DC (October 8, 2025) – The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) issued a statement about the recent resignation of Ron DeHaas from the NCOSE Board of Directors.
“Ron DeHaas, co-founder of Covenant Eyes, resigned from the NCOSE Board of Directors on September 2, 2025, citing a personal matter. On October 7, 2025, NCOSE learned about the arrest of Ron’s 38-year-old adult stepson, charged with felony child sexual abuse. We know this is a heartbreaking matter for the DeHaas family, and we are grieved by the nature of the charges and harm caused to the CSAM victims.
“Ron served NCOSE faithfully over the years, with unwavering dedication to helping others, always generous in spirit.
“NCOSE continues to partner with Covenant Eyes and its President and CEO Davin Granroth and is grateful for the company’s two decades of providing tools and resources to help people who wish to stop viewing pornography.”
About National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE)
Founded in 1962, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) is the leading national non-profit organization exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation such as child sexual abuse, prostitution, sex trafficking and the public health harms of pornography.
There are countless cases like this, but my favorite is that of smug anti-porn profiteer, Donny Pauling.
As an associate of Gail Dines and Shelley Lubben, he preached regularly about what the alleges are the detrimental impacts of pornography on girls and women, and families. All three were featured speakers at the Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation 2014 Summit in May of that year.
However the criminal charges of which Pauling has now been convicted demonstrate that he was a serial molester all the while.
