An online group aimed at helping law enforcement take child predators off the streets, helped Greencastle Police apprehend an Indianapolis man Monday evening in Greencastle.
According to court documents, James Stephens, 71, of Indianapolis, traveled to the Greencastle Wal-Mart after messaging what he believed was a 13-year-old transgender individual that was a decoy from the online group Predator Catchers of Indianapolis.
After the decoy told Stephens their age, Stephens asked the decoy if they had sex and to send "sexy" pictures to him. Stephens also told the decoy he wanted to perform and receive sexual acts with the decoy before sending a pornographic image of himself. According to police, Stephens asked the decoy what school they attended and what time he had to take individual back home despite the decoy stating they were 13.
"Mr. Stephens advised he believed he was meeting with a transgender person he met online and they were going to get food before taking her back to his home in Indianapolis," the police report states.
Stephens was arrested and officers found two cellphones on him, which he declined to passcodes for.
He is being held in the Putnam County Jail on a Level 4 felony charge of child solicitation and is set to have his initial hearing Thursday morning.
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