On the drive to Todd's apartment, Dianna listened to his side of the story. Johnson told Dianna, "I don't think this man has any natural propensity to be a child molester.". Hear behind the scenes details and find out. To Catch a Predator Dateline NBC: To Catch a Predator (2004 - 2007) is a series of hidden camera investigations by the television newsmagazine Dateline NBC devoted to the subject of identifying and detaining potential child sexual abusers who attempt to contact children over the internet. Hello I am looking for a clip from an episode of to catch a predator. Dumb. Her fianc, she learned, had been caught in a sting orchestrated by the popular Dateline: To Catch a Predator series. Have I done my daughters irreparable harm? 2023 USSA News, The Tea Party's Front Page. | Todd can't live with you." The best decoy on To Catch a Predator is a woman, her name is Casey Mauro. Until we deal with this as a society and reduce the demand, were going to have this problem. We try to work it the best way for justice. Furious and confused, Dianna had had just one brief phone conversation with her fianc since the bust. Why, she asked, hadn't Todd been around? Then, she says, he hung his head in shame. So, it wasn't really entrapment. From there, things only get worse. An actress that would go on to have many television roles, Cope first started as a decoy on TCaP. "I love the guy like a brother," he said. she exclaimed. Soon after they walked into the restaurant, Wadkins said, "You have children. Above all was the question of her daughters' safety and well-being; Dianna had custody of her children, and Todd was around the apartment a lot when the girls, ages 11 and 13, were there. Dianna expected to feel more settled after their quiet elopement, but the opposite proved true. I said, How did you know that? And he said, I watch the show all the time, and when I miss an episode, I download it from the Internet., There was only one investigation where some of the cases were not prosecuted," Hansen explained when asked about a story that a handful of cases were thrown out due to a legal technicality. The Dark Truth Behind The U.S. Alliance For Election Excellence! Author: Jerry Lambe. At first Todd insisted he'd thought the girl he'd met in an online chat room was 18. Official Sites "Please don't leave Todd," she pleaded. 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 She'd told her mother, who had confronted the abuser, but charges were never pressed. And she's an anti-vaxxer. "I believe that people should be able to redeem themselves.". "He knew that Todd had acted like an idiot," says Dianna. Dianna didn't remember all the specifics, but she knew that he couldn't be around any books or movies that featured minors. The alleged conversations with the suspects escalated to sexually graphic conversations very quickly, the sheriffs office said. Can you believe it?" 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 . "Great," Rachel said. . A member of SAG, Samantha found a modicum of success as a television actress and has been featured in series such as HBO's "Insecure", Private, "NCIS:Los Angeles, and many more. If I wasnt there, somebody would have been raped that night. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Jessica plucked from the bookshelf one of her favorites from the American Girl Library: The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls with a cover illustration of three young girls wrapped in bath sheets. She turned him on so much he began to practice his tongue action and tried rubbing himself hard over his jeans. 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. Of course, you dont want anybody to hurt themselves. She felt she had to give him a second chance, even though it wouldn't be an easy choice to live with. Can we count on your support today? I dont know if he had a closet life, I dont know what was going on. The women decoys can sound like children unlike the men, men have deeper voices than women so its hard for someone with a deeper . Others might argue otherwise, but I think its justifiable. 2020 Election Night Video Shows Ballot Shredding! "Crime Watch Daily" host Chris Hansen, at right, speaks with Jeff Sokol, a man who police say drove two and a half hours to meet a 13-year-old girl. The next night, Dianna posted Todd's bail. Her leaving him "is not about Todd being a bad man. Dianna confided her dilemma to Todd's roommate. He'd tried to do the right thing, she told herself. 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 never happened," Dianna says. It was devoted to impersonating underage people (generally ages 12 - 15) and detaining male adults who contacted them over the Internet for sexual liaisons. When the FBI conducts sting operations targeting online predators, it refers to the men who get caught as "travelers.". "I was trying to live normally, but I had this incredibly depressed person on my hands," says Dianna. If we find out theres potential danger, the police arrest him before he comes in we dont want a dangerous situation. When the man arrives, Dateline and the police pounce. Life as the wife of a convicted sex predator was relentlessly demoralizing. It was devoted to impersonating Read allTo Catch a Predator is an American reality television series that features hidden camera investigations by the television news magazine program Dateline NBC. the decoy asks. The organization also said, "That's what [predators] do, they blame everyone but themselves. When you decided to reboot the stings, were there plans for how to do things differently given what happened? 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. Rachel ran up and gave him an enormous hug. In 2003 she left her girls with their father while she recovered in rehab. They played the roles and communicated with the alleged predators. 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. She continues, "What are some of your ideas?" 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. Cookie Notice Its a very loyal fanbase. As each mile passed, Dianna's anger mounted. Before I could say a word, one of them looked at me and said, Oh, you're Chris Hansen, he recalled. At the jail Dianna stared at Todd through an acrylic window scratched with the words "bitch" and "scumbag." Several of the suspects are also accused of sending videos of themselves masturbating. We consult the prosecutors. Then, in 2006, one of those men committed suicide. I think it's going to be a more sophisticated program. One thing you see a lot about today is how difficult it is for sex offenders to find jobs and housing when they get out. The camera zooms in on Todd's nervous, smiling face. Technical Specs, See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro, field producer / executive producer / associate producer (12 episodes, 2004-2007), field producer / associate producer (9 episodes, 2006-2007), producer / additional producer (7 episodes, 2005-2006), senior investigative producer (7 episodes, 2006-2007), assistant producer / associate producer (6 episodes, 2005-2006), executive producer (6 episodes, 2006-2007), field producer / producer (4 episodes, 2005-2007), assistant producer (4 episodes, 2006-2007), assistant producer (2 episodes, 2005-2006), associate producer (2 episodes, 2005-2006), specialty camera / camera operator (12 episodes, 2005-2007), camera operator / specialty camera (11 episodes, 2005-2007), camera operator / specialty camera (9 episodes, 2006-2007), specialty camera / camera operator (7 episodes, 2005-2007), specialty camera / camera operator (7 episodes, 2006-2007), additional camera / camera operator (4 episodes, 2005-2007), camera operator / specialty camera (4 episodes, 2006), additional camera / camera operator (3 episodes, 2006), camera operator / additional camera (3 episodes, 2006), additional camera / camera operator (2 episodes, 2006). Absolutely. 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 . Im not a psychiatrist, but Ive come to believe some can be fixed and others cannot. Because the decoys never make the first move. And there is a definitive link1 between child porn and child exploitation. There was also the matter of her dignity; Todd had cheated on her in the most humiliating way possible. the woman said. Dianna Strawder had just stepped out of the shower in the early-morning darkness in July 2006 when her phone rang. Its the nature of the Internet the anonymity, the addictive quality, the 24/7 access. But fans kept asking him to bring back the stings, and last year Hansen mounted a Kickstarter campaign, raising nearly $90,000 for a reboot called Hansen vs. Predator. The segment premiered in September on Crime Watch Daily, a show Hansen hosts that runs on weekdays, syndicated on local channels throughout the country. Did you decide to show Ambrosios face on television? The predator is talking to the decoy and says "I am really glad this isnt a sting" right before Chris Hansen comes walking over the sand dunes. 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. To Catch A Predator - The Predator That Brought His Own Decoy ,To Catch A Predator Caught A Teenager They Felt So Sorry For, That They Didn't Even Air This E. "He did a bad thing. Salt Lake City, Utah He laughs. 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. She didn't initially tell her daughters, but later that week, when she picked them up from their father's house, she had to face a question from 13-year-old Rachel. So the guys dont see it. Even so, Dianna felt that Todd was falling apart. "But he wasn't a child molester." "You love him, and we love him.". People always say, These guys should be thrown away, and I say, Some of them can be fixed. We have not invested in treatment for this like we have in alcoholism, or heroin, or cocaine. Maybe he was the man she'd fallen in love with after all. He grimaced. Consenting adults can do whatever they want. "You tell me." Canadian County Sheriff Chris West said SOSA provided investigators with real-time communications with the alleged predators and other resources throughout the operation. When they drove to the movies one evening, he pulled over to cry. The elaborate sting was a joint operation between CCSO and the nonprofit organization Safe from Online Sex Abuse (SOSA). If he was released as a convicted sex offender, he would have to adhere to a strict set of rules. 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. She adds, "I abandoned my kids once when I was addicted to drugs, but I've made a promise to myself never to do that again. We learned about the online watchdog group, Perverted Justice, and I figured if we could combine their talent posting as decoys with our hidden camera technology, it could be pretty compelling. Their route took them along Interstate 85, the same highway Todd had driven on the way to his planned hookup. As they traveled, the roommate said that a few weeks earlier he and Todd had watched an episode of Dateline: To Catch a Predator. You shouldnt be going after kids online, and no matter how many we do, they will be out there. Three, it takes you into a world you wouldnt normally see. Nonprofit journalism about criminal justice, A nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system, Intimate portraits of people who have been touched by the criminal justice system. 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. He didnt show up at the house, the police made the decision to issue a warrant. 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. The alleged conversations with the suspects escalated to sexually graphic conversations very quickly, the sheriffs office said. The mark would arrive at a camera-rigged decoy house, where Hansen would emerge with his signature line: Why dont you have a seat? After a brief, squirmy interview, police would swoop in for an arrest. There is a notion that we stopped doing the investigations after the incident, which is not true we did others after that one, successful ones in which nobody got hurt. People were lured to meet with a decoy under the pretense of sexual contact and then . Some may recognize me, some think Im the mad dad, some think Im a detective. Glamour may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. To Catch a Predator is an American reality television series in the television news magazine program Dateline NBC featuring confrontations with host Chris Hansen, partly filmed with a hidden camera, of adult men arriving at a sting house to have sex with a minor and typically being arrested as a result. I'd decide to do it, and then I'd get sick to my stomach," she says. The communications included video chats, text messages, phone calls, and direct messages on social media platforms. Ad Choices. She'd had time to ask only if he was OK and had no details of what he'd done. "Um-hmm," he responds. We rarely will engage with a teenager who is hitting on a 13 or 14 year-old. Dianna and Todd refused to watch it, but in living rooms across the country, 8.7 million viewers heard a voice-over say: "We've hired a young-looking 19-year-old named Amanda to play the part of an underage girl home alone. Trace Turkelson, William Copeland IV, Cody Ewing, Tracy Fisher, and Otha Smith III (Canadian County Sheriffs Office). It included using a decoy house the suspects allegedly believed was the home of girls ages 14 and 15. When we began, we used chatrooms on AOL and Yahoo! Jeffrey Stacey - Predator: It's a question! I think we put it in the right context, and I hope he gets the help he needs and deserves. He told her he'd started chatting online with the girl because he was scared of getting married. I dont think so. "I don't know," he says. A month later Dianna finally allowed Todd to see her daughters. Hosted by Chris Hansen, To Catch a Predator is a series that recurred on the TV news magazine Dateline NBC. Suddenly Rachel broke the silence. He handed Todd two consecutive 10-year sentences. We would not do it without law enforcement and prosecutors being involved. A rabbi who was caught in one of our stings did his time and got out. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Authorities say that SOSA provided the operation with two female actresses who acted as bait. That they wouldnt have otherwise acted on their fantasies? The man deserves to have a place to go worship. To Catch a Predator: With Chris Hansen, Stone Phillips, Del Harvey, Dennis Kerr. He knew hed face 10 years in prison for each image. This was the happiness she was holding out for? Investigators said all five of the alleged predators cooperated with authorities and admitted to their intentions when they met these decoys.. And until Dianna Strawder decided to talk to Glamour, none of these women had ever spoken to a national magazine. Even when we stopped shooting new investigations, MSNBC ran the old ones. Thats part of our protocol. And then youve got to make the decision of whether to air it. "I wasn't OK with what he did, but I wasn't OK with him staying in jail, either. Friends advised Dianna to leave him, saying that a criminal shouldn't be around her children. Dianna stared at him, tears blurring her vision. "I knew what a sex offender looked like. Samantha Cope May 5, 1987 Viewers have the satisfaction of seeing these menwho have included public officials, schoolteachers and a rabbihauled away, sometimes in handcuffs. So, Dianna felt that Todd had driven on the way to planned. 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