Legal Ruling Impacts Local Child Predator Hunters

The Clearfield County Judges have been busy dealing with an influx of cases filed based on information supplied by the 814 Pred Hunters group, which uses fake teen profiles to “catch” potential child predators. At least 17 cases have been filed in the county since September with additional cases in other counties and states. A new ruling which states that only contact with an actual underage person or law enforcement can be used to file charges, has already lead to two cases being dismissed and could impact the others as well. (Photo by Julie Rae Rickard)

By Julie Rae Rickard

CLEARFIELD – For months the 814 Pred Hunters group has been busy setting up decoy teen profiles to catch potential child predators in Clearfield and other Pennsylvania counties as well as nearby states, but a judge’s order may limit their activities in the future.

At least 17 cases have been filed in Clearfield County in response to information the group provided to local law enforcement since September. The charges in each case have widely varied depending on the extent of the communications with the decoy.

On July 11, Gene William Robbins, 43, Woodland who was facing felony criminal use of communication device charges was scheduled to go to trial but it was cancelled and the charge dismissed, according to District Attorney Ryan Sayers, because of a ruling made on July 7 in another one of the predator cases.

Clearfield County President Judge Fredric J. Ammerman issued an opinion and order stating in the case against Mathew Uncles of Clearfield that “the Unlawful Contact with Minors statute explicitly outlines who can be a victim and who can pose as a would be victim. Specifically, a victim includes actual minors or a law enforcement officer operating within the scope of his/her official duties posing as a minor, for the purpose of committing any of the sex-related offenses.”

“The General Assembly specifically chose the language of the Unlawful Contact with Minors statute; if the General Assembly intended to criminalize communicating with vigilantes (i.e. non-law enforcement individuals) posing as minors, then the statute would, in its plain language, express that intent.”

The opinion goes on to address the additional charge of corruption of minors.

“The corruption of minors statute has been amended three times, the last time being in 2010. At no point, did the General Assembly amend the statute to include law enforcement officers, let alone adult civilians as conditionally protected parties.

“From the General Assembly’s silence on expanding the statute to include adult civilians, the Court does not find it appropriate to expand its interpretation of the stature beyond the plain language of the statute which correlates to the General’s Assembly’s intent.”

Uncles’s last charge, criminal use of communication facility requires the use of a device, in this case a cell phone, be used to commit a crime graded as a felony. Without the other charges, this was also dismissed.

In April, motions filed by attorney Robbie Taylor, in the case against Cody Fye of Weedville, bring up some of the same issues as well as questioning the group’s methods.

In a previous interview, the group explained the decoys have profiles on dating apps with photos of actual women who are aged down to look like teens, rather than use photos of actual young girls.

The messages from various men come in “non-stop” on several dating apps with various profiles worked by the members.

Background checks and other research are done about the men so they have an idea with whom they are dealing.

Before they set up a meeting, they review the evidence to be sure they can be prosecuted.

A meeting is then set up with the men who believe they are going to see the teen they have been messaging.

Instead the group confronts the potential offender during a live stream on their Facebook page. Police are then called and presented with a binder with copies of the messages and any photos exchanged.

Taylor claimed the group began communicating with his client on an adult only application before moving to other social media and texts. None of the records of this original contact as well as recording of phone calls were saved, he said in his motion.

Fye is facing more serious charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, and indecent assault of person less than 16-years-old, in addition to the ones dismissed in the Uncles case.

Prior to the ruling, three cases had already made their way through the system with the defendants getting time served sentences on one count of criminal attempt-corruption of minors.

On July 10, Edwin Gomez-Lamadrid, from Barranguilla, Columbia, was sentenced to serve three months to two years in state prison for misdemeanor solicitation/indecent assault. It was noted that he is an illegal immigrant wanted by authorities.

Plea agreements have been reached with four other defendants and six others are pending.

Ammerman’s ruling will no doubt be used in the other cases and possibly in other counties where the group has been “catching” potential predators.