Since starting her TerpSecret blog seven months ago, Sarah Tincher has received hundreds of secrets, but she never imagined one would lead to two detectives knocking on her front door.

Wednesday night, someone posted on Tincher's blog, a site where users can anonymously post secrets, claiming to be the College Park cuddler — the ubiquitous name given to the man responsible for a string of alleged sexual assaults that began in 2008 at Georgetown University. Although no assaults were reported for some time, three incidents were reported in September. After investigating the post, University Police have determined its writer is unrelated to the incidents, according to University Police Capt. Marc Limansky.

Tincher received the post at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, she said, and posted it at about 10 p.m. Although she initially brushed off the secret as a joke, she said many people were soon urging her to report the post to police.

"I kept getting all these messages saying you need to report this," the sophomore journalism major said. "People were in panic mode about this; I had no idea it would cause such an uproar."

"I'm the College Park cuddler," the post read. "Some may not understand why I like to get in bed with girls, but I think it's the sexiest thing ever. To be in bed with a girl who has no idea I'm there turns me on more than anything. I will strike again."

Tincher received a message later that night — and a personal email from the poster — admitting it was a joke, but University Police still investigated the matter.

Tincher gave investigators the self-proclaimed cuddler's email, which police used to find its sender. After the interview, police determined the poster was "not a person of interest" in the sexual assault case, Limansky said.

"It was an attempt at humor that of course was taken seriously by our investigators that the person felt bad about," Limansky said. "[The case] is closed as far as that post goes."

Limansky said students should remember that anything posted on the Internet will be investigated if it relates to an ongoing investigation.

"Most people know this, but just as a reminder that anything put over social media or over the Internet is open to observation," he said. "If law enforcement sees something that could potentially be a lead in a crime or could potentially indicate criminal activity, it will be looked into."

abutaleb@umdbk.com