Saturday, February 2, 2019

PA police say they don't condone vigilante groups like S. Central PA Child Predator Exposure, but they aren't being arrested


If past evidence from the numerous articles I've posted is any indication, this group is either full of convicted criminals or they are distributing pictures of a questionable nature themselves.

https://www.abc27.com/investigators/investigations/vigilante-facebook-group-targets-sex-offenders-local-man-facing-charges/1733450207

Vigilante Facebook group targets sex offenders; local man facing charges
By:  Kendra Nichols
Posted: Jan 28, 2019 07:03 PM EST

Updated: Jan 29, 2019 09:26 AM EST

MT. HOLLY SPRINGS, Pa. (WHTM) - Brandi Lehrian is on a mission to expose child sexual predators.

"We have exposed about 31 guys," she said.

Brandi is the founder of the South Central Child Predator Exposure group on Facebook. Volunteers with the group pose as underage girls on social media apps like Whisper, Kik and Facebook in hopes of catching child predators. They wait for the person to contact them first.

"Once they become sexual and they agree to meet, we meet them and expose them," said Brandi.

The group will then post the video to its page and to a YouTube channel to publicly shame the men.

Keith Linzey, 43, was recently featured on the group's website. He went to a gas station thinking he was meeting a 15-year-old girl. Instead, Brandi and another volunteer were there to meet him with their cell phone camera rolling.

"My goal is to bring awareness to everybody, to know who is out there and what they are doing and try to get them arrested and get them off the streets," said Brandi.

Mount Holly Springs police received an anonymous tip about the video featuring Linzey.

"At that point, we just went and knocked on the door just to see if he would talk to us about the anonymous tips. He freely admits the whole thing," said Andrew Wolfe, a detective for the Mt. Holly Springs Police Department.

Police could not charge Linzey with attempting to meet a 15-year-old girl since there was no real victim and it was not a sting by law enforcement, but while Wolfe was at the home, he discovered child pornography on Linzey's cell phone.

"He had some very deep sexual demons in his mind. It is not OK. He cannot be on the street," said Wolfe.

While they are glad he is off the street, police don't necessarily support what the group is doing.

"I would say that they are treading a very thin line. They could get shot," said Wolfe.

"They have said to us that we are vigilantes. They are afraid we are going to get hurt, which I understand, but to me, kids' safety is more important than my own," said Lehrian

Brandi says she's not done exposing child predators.

"I have at least 40 people in my phone right now," she said.

Linzey has been charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Police say it is an ongoing investigation and more charges are expected.

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