MADISON COUNTY, Ill. — The men in the videos may want to hide, but sting operations that ensnare them are not hard to find online.
The men behind the cameras aren't cops, but see themselves as self-appointed protectors of potential sex crime victims. They pose as underage girls in online chats to get their targets to agree to meet in person and then confront and expose the men in online videos.
Earlier this year in Illinois, the Madison County state's attorney said one of these self-described "predator hunters" Kyle Swanson went too far in one of his stings.
A grand jury indicted Swanson on multiple felonies after investigators said he enticed a man into his vehicle under a false pretense and refused to let him out, threatened to hit him and told him to delete evidence of a previous crime.
At the time, Madison County State's Attorney Tom Haine said, "The Grand Jury’s decision here reflects the fundamental idea that when members of a community decide to take justice into their own hands, even for laudable purposes, they can place themselves and others in danger and damage potential cases.”
But Wednesday, Haine agreed to drop the charges if Swanson promised to stop running stings in Madison County.
In court documents, Haine said one reason for the second chance was Swanson's "honorable service in the military."
And said the charges could make it hard for Swanson to find a job.
"It is the policy of this office to give first-time offenders, especially those with honorable military service, due consideration in the disposition of cases. We seek to balance the demands of justice with a culture of second chances," Haine said in a statement.
According to the court documents Swanson now lives in Texas and has also agreed to other stipulations including treatment for his PTSD, and 20 hours of community service.
Police departments tell 5 On Your Side not only are these online stings dangerous for the public, but don't collect evidence in a way that police can actually use it.