No, it's black and white. You don't just 'accidentally' engage in sexual behavior with a minor. Carson had every opportunity not to do what he did, but chose to do it anyway. In this day and age especially, there is zero excuse for deliberately engaging in erotic conversation or other sexual activities with a minor. Stick your ass on a crappy dating app, advertise yourself as single on social media, walk around with a sign stating your sexual preferences in public, you'll find somebody your own age eventually. You don't go after a child unless you want to, and when you do, you're telling the world that you don't care about decency, you just care about taking something society has forbidden you.
If he had simply had a friendship with her and waited until she was of age to engage in romantic behavior, cool. But this wasn't the case. He knowingly and intentionally sought the sexual attention of a minor. It's not up for debate. He admitted it. Fuck everyone who thinks this was in any way acceptable. You disgust me.