National predator-hunting group films confrontation in Hartford City

A group called Bikers Against Predators recorded a man outside his home over online messages a decoy says were sent to a fake 14-year-old. Police responded.

A national group that confronts people it accuses of being online child predators came to Hartford City this month and recorded itself questioning a local man outside his home.

The group, Bikers Against Predators, posts videos of these confrontations online. In the Hartford City video, a member tells the man that messages had been passed along showing the man allegedly talking with someone who claimed to be 14 years old. The member says the messages came from the dating app Grindr and were sexual in nature. The Ledger is not repeating the content of those messages.

The man appears on camera and answers questions. At points, he tells the group he did not remember the conversation and that he never met up with anyone.

The video shows police arriving during the confrontation. According to the group, officers looked over the messages and took the man's phone. The Ledger has not independently confirmed that a phone was seized, that a police report was filed, or that any charge has resulted.

Who the group is

Bikers Against Predators is a nonprofit based in northern Indiana that began running these operations in 2021. Members create fake online profiles that pose as minors, wait for adults to message them, and then travel to confront the people in person on camera. The group often streams live and asks viewers for donations. It has posted more than 100 of these videos and has traveled to other states.

What Indiana prosecutors say about these stings

Prosecutors across Indiana have repeatedly questioned whether these confrontations help.

Allen County Prosecutor Karen Richards has said the stings are generally not prosecutable and can tip off suspects before police can act. Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker has said the same. DeKalb County Prosecutor ClaraMary Winebrenner has said that only trained law enforcement can collect digital evidence in a way that holds up in court, and that these confrontations can be dangerous for everyone involved.

The concerns are not just theoretical. In Indianapolis last year, a similar video showed a man confronted over Grindr messages with a supposed 14-year-old. Police did not arrest him. An officer said on camera that the local prosecutor would not "touch this" without probable cause. The man was later listed as a suspect in a report but was not charged. Experts told the IndyStar that these groups often do more harm than good.

The Hartford City video reflects the same tension. Late in the recording, the group's leader criticizes a prosecutor in another Indiana county who had publicly questioned the group's methods and said the cases need to be investigated by law enforcement before charges are filed.