LANSING, Mich. - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Michigan State Police are telling residents who are targeting child sexual predators that vigilante activity will not be tolerated.
According to MSP, a vigilante's recent behavior in the Grand Rapids area has escalated and demonstrated reckless conduct, including luring suspected online predators to a public place, recording the sometimes violent interactions, then posting the videos on social media.
Authorities have told the vigilante and others like him that they aren't able to prosecute any more cases based on information gained by this method.
“It is reckless and dangerous for residents to take matters of law enforcement into their own hands. Not only does it put them directly in harm’s way, it actually hinders our ability to keep our kids safe and protect them from dangerous individuals,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said. “In fact, well-meaning vigilantes not only endanger themselves, but their actions may result in important evidence being suppressed, impeding our ability to properly and effectively do our job."
Nessel said her office has charged more than 20 individuals who have targeted Michigan's kids since January, including a child predator ring in Coldwater.
The Office of Michigan Attorney General has successfully convicted more than 250 child predators since 2011.
MSP's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) has highly trained certified law enforcement investigators assigned across the state. They work under strict guidelines put in place by the ICAC task force to crack down on child predators.
The MSP and ICAC Task Force say any suspicious activity be reported to law enforcement immediately. You can submit tips to the Cyber Tip Line here.
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