A Michigan man linked to the Christian anti-porn internet accountability software Covenant Eyes has been charged with multiple sexual offences against children.
Thomas Wideman, the stepson of Covenant Eyes founder Ron DeHaas, was arrested by officers from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office after he allegedly communicated online with a detective posing as a 14-year-old girl.
Court documents obtained by The Roys Report show that the detective began messaging Wideman, 38, on 23rd July via the app Hush. Wideman reportedly responded to a post that read “Heyyyy,” which featured an upside-down smile emoji and an image of a smiling horse.
During their initial exchange, the detective asked Wideman his age. He replied, “37,” and added, “Hbu?”—short for “How about you?” When she said she was 14, Wideman asked if his age was acceptable, and the detective replied that she did not care.
The pair later moved their conversation to text messages, where Wideman allegedly described how he wanted to touch the girl sexually and requested photographs. In one exchange, he asked if she wore a bikini around her uncle. When she said yes, he replied, “I don’t think I would be able to stop looking at you.”
A meeting was arranged for 14th August in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Officers surrounded Wideman’s vehicle and arrested him on arrival. Investigators reportedly discovered at least 12 videos of child sexual abuse material involving very young victims.
Wideman now faces eight felony charges, including using a computer to commit a crime, engaging in child sexually abusive activity, and accosting children for immoral purposes. Some of the charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
A judge set Wideman’s bail at $300,000, with court records indicating that DeHaas helped to pay it.
Covenant Eyes is widely used by churches, schools, and families to filter and monitor access