Plea deal reached in Greencastle Predator Catcher case

Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 10:15 AM

By Paul Gable

A man at the center of a 2025 case involving an online child predator catcher group will not be going to trial after reaching a plea deal in the case this week.

According to court documents, Richard Lance Skaggs, 66, Ramsey, took a plea deal for a Level 4 felony count of child solicitation for his involvement in a May 2025 incident at the Greencastle Wal-Mart. Sentencing is set for July 2.

Skaggs drove three hours for a sexual encounter with what he believed to be a 13-year-old transgender female after a conversation. Skaggs was arrested on May 3, 2025, after Indianapolis based Indianapolis Predators Catchers took video of Skaggs meeting the girl inside Walmart. Greencastle Police were waiting outside the store for Skaggs to walk out and when he did so, members of Indianapolis Predators Catchers surrounded Skaggs, who said he had been married for 40 years and had no idea the girl was 13 years old.

When asked what his plans were, Skaggs said, "Just sex. I was just really horny."

According to police, Skaggs used the dating app Taimi to set up the encounter and text messages showed Skaggs had asked for nude photos, sexual history and if the 13-year-old would have sex with him.