OKC Video Vigilantes Target Child Predators, Help Land Arrest

A couple of local dads have started their own pedophile patrol, busting those who prey on children. For the past couple of months, they have posted videos on Facebook of those confrontations.

This week, one of those confrontations led to an arrest. 

“She did say that she was that she was underage. I met her on a deal. What are we doing here if she’s under age?”

That’s a quote from a video showing 46-year-old Michael Gene Edwards admitting Monday he went to an Oklahoma City gas station to meet what he thought was a 15-year-old girl.

Turns out, it was a trap set by Oklahoma Pedophile Prevention (OPP).

Minutes after the confrontation began, police happened to pull up, found out what was happening and arrested Edwards on a charge of indecent lewd acts to a child.

News 9 went to the home Edwards shares with his mother. "What he does is his business what I do is my business,” she said. “He's 46 years old, I can't control him."

The dads who started OPP say they pose as teen girls to lure men into meeting with them, then show the confrontations on Facebook. In all, they’ve confronted eight predators since April.

"Thursday at 10 till Saturday afternoon we had 13 grown men ready to meet up with 15 or younger for sex or had talked about things in a sexual manner,” said J.T. with OPP.

Russell, who is also with OPP, added, "We've had a school janitor. We've had a registered nurse. We've had security guards."

J.T. said, "We would love to get them in jail. That's number one goal is get them off the streets so they can't hurt anymore children. If we can't get them in jail the next best thing is exposing them."

Cops say that could be risky.

"These situations could be incredibly dangerous. We certainly don't recommend or ask for citizens to ever put themselves in a situation like this,” said Officer Megan Morgan with the OKC Police Department.

The OPP dads say it’s a risk they’re willing to take.

"We're not professional pedophile hunters.” JT explained, “We're a couple of dads that are putting ourselves in the position of, what would we do if it happened to our children?"

Click here to check out their videos.