Accused Sex Offender Allegedly Branded Runaways With Signature Tattoo

"He told me ... it kept away all the other 'sugar daddies' when they are out partying or at the club.”

An Aurora, Colorado, man accused of taking in male runaways he met on Grindr in exchange for sex allegedly had another requirement -- a tattoo bearing his name.

In an explosive interview above with Denver's Fox31, a man who dated one of the alleged victims said Sean Crumpler had the friend get the tattoo with the word "Sean" and a picture of a bird that matches a neighborhood logo.

The 23-year-old, whose identity was shielded, showed a picture of his friend's tattoo, to Fox31. "He told me that it was because they were supposed to get it, and because it kept away all the other 'sugar daddies' when they are out partying or at the club,” he said.

Crumpler, 48, is accused of child sex trafficking, child sex assault, trafficking for sexual servitude and sexual offense with notice of HIV. According to an arrest affidavit cited by the Denver Post, he allegedly told one of his teen victims that he finds "young boys to bring back to the house" while "hunting."

In court on Monday, Crumpler had his Internet access restored, although the judge warned him that it should be used for work only.

The judge denied a prosecutor's request that his passport be confiscated, the Post wrote. A prosecutor had argued that Crumpler, who owns a hotel in Thailand, required close surveillance because of his international ties.

NBC affiliate 9News said authorities were embarrassed by Crumpler's release from the Jefferson County Detention Center despite his being a registered sex offender. He'd been out on bail since Sept. 16.

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office told the station in a statement: "The Sheriff's Office made a mistake when we released Crumpler without requiring him to make a court appearance. HB 1060 requires that, and it should have happened before he was allowed to bail out. As a result we will be reviewing our procedures and making the proper changes to ensure that this does not happen again."

According to 9News, 12 men and boys between the ages of 16 to 21 were living with the suspect in his rented Aurora home.

Fox31 said Crumpler has been evicted.

Here is the 9 News report on Crumpler:

H/T Queerty

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