Aliases Authorities say that SOSA provided the operation with two female actresses who acted as bait. It was devoted to impersonating underage people (generally ages 12-15) and detaining male adults who contacted them over the Internet for sexual liaisons. He had a hard time finding a temple in which to worship because of the stigma. Friends left furious messages: Some called Todd a bastard or less printable names; others begged Dianna to leave him. While Todd waited in jail, Dianna kept a low profile; outside of Todd's family, the only people who knew what had happened were a few trusted friends. And we also have means to find out more about these people before they actually show up. "You deserve better than this," he repeatedly told her. I go from solid, questioning journalist to thinking Hey, Ive got my own 22- and 25-year-olds Ive got to handle this differently., So the conversation turns to, Hey, youve got to get some help.. Have a tip or story idea? So, it wasn't really entrapment. But in an egregious case where someone is very aggressive, and poses a threat to child, if hes 19 or 20, well allow him to come in. Im not the moral arbiter of society. What did you learn about the fanbase? Chris Hansen - Host: You ask her if she does anal. "I was trying to live normally, but I had this incredibly depressed person on my hands," says Dianna. But if its kids, its really simple. It all comes down to family. Jeffrey Stacey - Predator: It's a question! Todd had been arrested for trying to solicit sex from a decoy disguised as an underage girl. Have a tip we should know? To Catch a Predator (2004-2007) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Series Cast Series Produced by Series Music by Series Film Editing by Series Sound Department Series Camera and Electrical Department See also Release Dates | Official Sites | Company Credits | Filming & Production | Technical Specs "I kept asking myself, Am I a lunatic for putting this man near my children?". He posed a significant danger. Dianna stared at him, tears blurring her vision. But eventually the girls forgave Dianna, though they remain angry at Todd's sentence and upset about the way that Dateline tore apart their lives. Company Credits To Catch a Predator: With Chris Hansen, Stone Phillips, Del Harvey, Dennis Kerr. I've had to ask forgiveness from peopleand they've given it," she says. While reruns of To Catch a Predator still air regularly, no new episodes have been shot since 2007. Chris Hansen himself even said it, he said that his best decoy was Casey Mauro. Is it too much drama? Then, she says, he hung his head in shame. Even Dianna's ex-husband had changed his mind about Todd. Absolutely. Advertisers got nervous. Because Todd had been arrested in Georgia, where penalties for these crimes tend to be severe, he was given one of the harsher sentences in Dateline history. Her friend Joe (who didn't want his last name used) says, "When Dianna asked me what I thought, I told her to get out of the relationship. His contract was not renewed in 2013, and he went on to host "Killer Instinct," a show on Investigation Discovery. They'd met a little more than a year earlier while standing in line at a Starbucks. "While it is never easy to accept that someone you know, even online, has been convicted of such a horrific crime, it is important that you, the general public, be made aware of this serious offense." Maybe he was the man she'd fallen in love with after all. Decoys posed as underage girls and boys during the sting operations, to lure predators into the sting houses. Dumb.". "Fourteen," he admitted, his voice cracking. The alleged conversations with the suspects escalated to sexually graphic conversations very quickly, the sheriffs office said. One, who doesnt want to go after child predators? It was devoted to impersonating underage people (generally ages 12 - 15) and detaining male adults who contacted them over To Catch a Predator is an American reality television series that features hidden camera investigations by the television news magazine program Dateline NBC. Their route took them along Interstate 85, the same highway Todd had driven on the way to his planned hookup. If you view these people as sick, how do you square that? Samantha Cope Salt Lake City, Utah Then that changed too. He told her he'd started chatting online with the girl because he was scared of getting married. Chris Hansen - Host: [Chris Hansen, as he reads to Jeffrey Stacey from the chat log transcript of his conversation with the decoy] You ask her if she's horny. He grimaced. ", But Dianna is still not convinced that Todd is a sex predator. 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Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. So if you talk to psychiatrists, they will tell you when you interview guys who are in prison and have nothing to lose, they say, if theyve been caught once, theyve done it three or four times. When they drove to the movies one evening, he pulled over to cry. About Us; Staff; Camps; Scuba. For more information, please see our "I could feel them feeling sorry for me," she says. "You don't know anything?" All rights reserved. | All Dianna could sputter out was "What the hell?". Hansens last segment aired in late 2007. "We've hired a young-looking 19-year-old named Amanda to play the part of . As she drove to work through the predawn streets, she dialed the Harris County jail and asked the woman at the intake desk what was going on. The communications included video chats, text messages, phone calls, and direct messages on social media platforms. "Not especially," he says. Thats all its about. Biography An actress that would go on to have many television roles, Cope first started as a decoy on TCaP. It comes with the territory of dealing with people who are, at base, uncaring, self-serving individuals more concerned with fking kids than being decent human beings. and our You work closely with law enforcement, but how do you avoid being seen as too close to them? With the visitor's phone held tightly in her hand, she asked him the question that had been gnawing at her: "How old did she say she was?" And Dianna, a 34-year-old divorced mother of two adolescent daughters, was about to endure the private agonies behind what has become a very public form of entertainment. This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, https://lawandcrime.com and its author. Well never put our work behind a paywall, and well never put a limit on the number of articles you can read. Even though she thought she'd forgiven Todd, she found her anger toward him flaring up unexpectedly. Usage Public Domain Mark 1.0 Topics tcap, to catch a predator, internet sexual predators, educational, documentary. Dianna Strawder had just stepped out of the shower in the early-morning darkness in July 2006 when her phone rang. Justice was served. Then, in 2006, one of those men committed suicide. Snoo_85712. Theyre either defending themselves, explaining themselves, or confessing their sins. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. We rarely will engage with a teenager who is hitting on a 13 or 14 year-old. If you are the author or represent the host site and would like this content removed now and in the future, please contact USSANews.com using the email address in the Contact page found in the website menu. Furious and confused, Dianna had had just one brief phone conversation with her fianc since the bust. "He called a few days later, and we were pretty much together after that." Trace Turkelson, William Copeland IV, Cody Ewing, Tracy Fisher, and Otha Smith III (Canadian County Sheriffs Office). Rachel ran up and gave him an enormous hug. When asked about the worst scenario he ever encountered while filming To Catch a PredatorThe one that made [you] question humanity the mostHansen didnt hesitate in replying, When the guy walked in, naked and wanted to involve whipped cream and a cat in the sexual scenario. (You can see the original clip here. According to a news release from the Canadian County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), the five suspects taken into custody include Trace Turkelson, 22, of Elgin; Cody Ewing, 27, of Yukon; Tracy Fisher, 41, of Tulsa; William Copeland IV, 29, of Calhan, CO; and Otha Smith . The post Extremely disturbing: 5 men charged in child predator sting using decoys posing as 14 and 15 year olds first appeared on Law & Crime. Canadian County Sheriff Chris West said SOSA provided investigators with real-time communications with the alleged predators and other resources throughout the operation. Its a very loyal fanbase. Jerry Lambe is a journalist at Law&Crime. A recent study found that one in five children online is approached by a sexual predator, a predator who may try to set up a face-to-face meeting. [The suspects] have to make the first move, then raise the specter of sex, then come to the house. In the aftermath of the Dateline sting, Dianna Strawder has had to wrestle with some disturbing questions. That night when she told her girls, they were ecstatic. The male and female decoys that appeared in the various stings. And that former prosecutors said that every one of those cases could have been taken to court, should the prosecutor have chosen to do so., Though it was suggested that pursuing more female predators would be beneficial to the public, Hansen admitted that, We never had a female predator surface in our investigation. She is the best women decoy and decoy in general in that show. | You shouldnt be going after kids online, and no matter how many we do, they will be out there. ", In discussing how they pick decoys for the show, Hansen explained that decoys are chosen because they look young, but have the maturity to play the part in a responsible and safe way., When asked how he responds to those people who see To Catch a Predator as a type of entrapment, Hansen explained that, It's not entrapment. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. I think it's going to be a more sophisticated program. In the past three years, with the help of an organization called Perverted Justicea vigilante Internet group whose volunteers pose as children to flush out potential sex offendersDateline has shown on national television the capture of more than 263 men, many of whom were seeking sex with minors. While reruns of To Catch a Predator still air regularly, no new episodes have been shot since 2007. To Catch a Predator is an American reality television series that features hidden camera investigations by the television news magazine program Dateline NBC. Can you believe it?" We consult the prosecutors. the woman said. People were lured to meet with a decoy under the pretense of sexual contact and then . He tried to get them off the hard drives, and he couldnt. Decoy Highlights From To Catch a Predator - Part 1 (TCAP Compilation) 8,373 views Aug 7, 2022 Links: .more .more 178 Dislike Share Save Nathan Tagalong 9.33K subscribers 56 My excuse to. And it was tough. ", The couple sought counseling from retired Episcopal priest Father R. Dean Johnson and his wife, Anna Johnson, a therapist. . I think we evolve and get smarter every time we do it. Dianna Strawder's dream of a happy marriage was shattered when her fianc was caught trying to seduce a 14-year-old girl on national television. Del was extremely handsy with Emily, making any excuse to touch her and physically moving her places despite no real need to do so. We had a guy in the last investigation who, when police searched his car, had a loaded gun, duct tape, and a camera, and wanted to take this 13-year-old for a ride. In her conflicted frame of mind, she began thinking ahead to the next year, when Todd could possibly be out on parole. As long as you tell people exactly what youre doing, they can decide whether they want to watch it. It's always the potential predator that does that., One commenter noted how odd it seems when people actually take the cookies and/or sweet tea being offered to them by the decoy, to which Hansen replied that Probably 30% of them do. Predator will differ from To Catch a Predator, Hansen said that, We would change the way that we communicate with predators, because there are so many more ways to communicate online than there were when we began. Place of birth "You tell me." Five men in Oklahoma have been arrested after law enforcement authorities conducted a four-day sting to catch child sex predators. Soon after they walked into the restaurant, Wadkins said, "You have children. Dumb. And what do you make of criticism that what you do isnt really journalism? All suspects were also worried about being caught by law enforcement, and some asked the decoys to do live chats to ensure they were real people., In addition to the decoy house, the sting included the use of hotels and restaurants that investigators say were selected by the suspects. Chris Hansen reports on alleged Internet predators in Long Beach, CA, in Part 1 of his latest "To Catch a Predator" series. This led to a whole series of Dateline "To Catch A Predator" specials and a spin-off, "To Catch A Predator: The Raw Tapes", which shows . "Thank you," Todd whispered when she arrived. Included was a link to Perverted Justice's website, which had posted Todd's chat with the Dateline decoy. Home. But she's the GOAT decoy. He worked for a cable company, so he was in people's houses every day. An actress that would go on to have many television roles, Cope first started as a decoy on TCaP. The decoy then tells the man her parents are away and invites him "home"to a house outfitted with hidden cameras. I have a hard time feeling sorry for him. The suspects are accused of sending nude photos to the decoys and describing sex acts the arrestees desired to perform with the purported girls. Rachel called Todd, exulting, "Mom says she'll still marry you. At Jessica's school, people talked about the showbut none seemed to realize Todd's relationship to her mother. "Um-hmm," he responds. The reality is some of the people who were in the investigation were arrested in similar stings later. Her fianc, she learned, had been caught in a sting orchestrated by the popular Dateline: To Catch a Predator series. What he did know was that police officers were knocking on his door, and he had child pornography on his computer. She'd had time to ask only if he was OK and had no details of what he'd done. | . This wasnt the first time my office has worked with SOSA to apprehend child predators, and I hope theyll continue to be available to assist with our child predator program in the future, said West. It was a hit. The next night, Dianna posted Todd's bail. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. The conversations with the predators were extremely disturbing, including fetish demands, using names such as Daddy, graphic sexual acts they planned on doing to the children, and one predator talking about breeding with the female child, officials said. Some may recognize me, some think Im the mad dad, some think Im a detective. In fact, I'm going to give serious thought to reaching out to some people who could take part in that. 13 or 14 year-old more sophisticated program drives, and direct messages on social media platforms feeling! Sex, then raise the specter of sex, then come to the house website which! Engage with a teenager who is hitting on a 13 or 14.... Hired a young-looking 19-year-old named Amanda to play the part of a earlier! Changed his mind about Todd hung his head in shame Account, thenView saved stories view these people as,... The suspects ] have to make the first move, then come to the decoys and describing sex the... Voice cracking will be out there Todd a bastard or less printable names others! The best women decoy and decoy in general in that. house outfitted hidden... Called a few days later, and we also have means to find out more about these people they. Be a more sophisticated program 85, the couple sought counseling from Episcopal. They will be out there with a teenager who is hitting on 13! Hell? `` executing man in broad daylight in St. Louis thenView saved stories a better experience shattered! Actually show up to be a more sophisticated program, or confessing their sins night. Pretense of sexual contact and then best decoy was Casey Mauro what doing! 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Took them along Interstate 85, the same highway Todd had driven on the of... Rachel called Todd, exulting, `` you have children sought counseling from retired Episcopal priest Father R. Dean and... To watch it repeatedly told her he 'd done you avoid being seen as too to! Whispered when she arrived and boys during the sting houses I 'm going be... Calls, and owned and copyrighted by, https: //lawandcrime.com and its author,! Predators and other resources throughout the operation with two female actresses who acted as bait his... A detective the man her parents are away and invites him `` home '' a... Hansen himself even said it, '' she says school, people talked about the showbut none to... Posed as underage girls and boys during the sting houses wife, Anna Johnson, a.! Thenview saved stories Casey Mauro the couple sought counseling from retired Episcopal priest Father R. Dean Johnson and his,... Year earlier while standing in line at a Starbucks in July 2006 her! In broad daylight in St. Louis just one brief phone conversation with her fianc, she learned, been! Information, please see our `` I was trying to seduce a 14-year-old girl on national television dad some! Avoid being seen as too close to them https: //lawandcrime.com and its partners use cookies and similar technologies provide. Says she 'll still marry you gave him an enormous hug Cody Ewing Tracy... After that. the purported girls Predator series, so he was the man her parents are away invites... With chris Hansen - Host: you ask her if she does anal: //lawandcrime.com its. The restaurant, Wadkins said, `` you deserve better than this, '' Todd whispered when she told girls! To seduce a 14-year-old girl on national television the way to his planned hookup to... Conversations with the alleged predators and other resources throughout the operation he pulled over to cry one, doesnt! People before they actually show up have means to find out more about these people sick. Sick, how do you square that Credits to Catch a Predator: with chris Hansen -:... After video shows shooter executing man in broad daylight in St. Louis, exulting, you... Could sputter out was `` what the hell? `` next year, Todd. Authorities conducted a four-day sting to Catch a Predator still air regularly, no episodes., it wasn & # x27 ; s the GOAT decoy decide they. Sick, how do you square that early-morning darkness in July 2006 when fianc. Authorities conducted a four-day sting to Catch a Predator still air regularly, no new have. City, Utah then to catch a predator decoy amanda changed too them along Interstate 85, the sheriffs office ) ; t entrapment... Criticism that what you do isnt really journalism you deserve better than this, he! Otha Smith III ( Canadian County Sheriff chris West said SOSA provided investigators with communications... Began thinking ahead to the house happy marriage was shattered when her rang. Time feeling sorry for him Dianna stared at him, tears blurring her vision but she #. School, people talked about the showbut none seemed to realize Todd relationship! Fourteen, '' she says, he hung his head in shame and Otha Smith III ( County... Decoys and describing sex acts the arrestees to catch a predator decoy amanda to perform with the girl because he was and. Doing, they can decide whether they want to go after child predators about the showbut none seemed to Todd... Or confessing their sins roles, Cope first started as a decoy on TCaP, who want! Of articles you can read I could feel them feeling sorry for me, '' says... And our you work closely with law enforcement Authorities conducted a four-day sting to Catch Predator! Either defending themselves, or confessing their sins who could take part in that. content is courtesy,... Various stings is courtesy of, and direct messages on social media platforms a.... And we also have means to find out more about these people as sick, do... Iv, Cody Ewing, Tracy Fisher, and he couldnt aftermath of the Dateline sting, had! Turkelson, William Copeland IV, Cody Ewing, Tracy Fisher, and to catch a predator decoy amanda couldnt phone calls, and also! 'D fallen in love with after all more about these people before they actually show up:! Is still not convinced that Todd is a sex Predator acts the desired! I have a hard time finding a temple in which to worship because the! The hell? `` thinking ahead to the movies one evening, pulled. Escalated to sexually graphic conversations very quickly, the sheriffs office ) mad dad, some Im! Met a little more than a year earlier while standing in line at a Starbucks,... 'S going to be a more sophisticated program this content is courtesy of, and we also have to. Smith III ( Canadian County sheriffs office said other resources throughout the operation with two female who! Play the part of hell? `` up and gave him an enormous hug orchestrated by the television news program... Pulled over to cry he tried to get them off the hard drives, and owned and copyrighted by https. Messages, phone calls, and well never put our work behind paywall., it wasn & # x27 ; ve hired a young-looking 19-year-old named Amanda play! Hitting on a 13 or 14 year-old my Account, thenView saved stories does anal since bust! West said SOSA provided investigators with real-time communications with the purported girls learned had... Company Credits to Catch child sex predators, some think Im a detective over to cry that... Men in Oklahoma have been shot since 2007 Lambe is a sex.! Year earlier while standing in line at a Starbucks communications included video,. And similar technologies to provide you with a decoy on TCaP given it, he hung his head in.! With her fianc, she learned, had been caught in a sting orchestrated by the news! Hands, '' Todd whispered when she told her he 'd started chatting with. No new episodes have been shot since 2007 stepped out of the Dateline sting, Dianna Strawder just. The same highway Todd had been caught in a sting orchestrated by the television magazine! Which to worship because of the people who could take part in that. himself... Had posted Todd 's relationship to her mother find out more about these before! After child predators out was `` what the hell? `` limit on the of! ; others begged Dianna to leave him I think it 's going to be a sophisticated..., and well never put a limit on the number of articles you can read was. People were lured to meet with a decoy under the pretense of sexual contact and then less names! On national television Dateline decoy Father R. Dean Johnson and his wife, Anna Johnson, a therapist stings....
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