WOODFORD COUNTY, Ill. – The Woodford County Sheriff’s Office is touting the success of a task force that targets child sex predators online.
This week, the Predator Apprehension Team arrested a Schaumberg man for allegedly trying to meet a minor in Germantown Hills, the team’s 20th arrest in six months.
Chief Deputy Dennis Tipsword says none of the 20 arrested have come from Woodford County, rather the predators are traveling from all over the state into the county.
Tipsword says the task force started with an increase of internet crimes against children in the county, which also included bullying.
Tipsword tells WMBD’s “The Phil Luciano Show” that the team will usually scout some of the more popular online locations; such as Facebook, Kik, Snapchat, and Roblox, and portray themselves as a minor.
“We just set up a fake account, identifying ourselves as whatever our target is, in this case a 15-year-old female,” Tipsword said. “And then we just sit out there in neutral. We’re not looking for anybody, they come to us.”
Tipsword says it’s “sickening” how often and fast a nude photo will come from the predator from whom they believe is a minor.
Tipsword notes that it usually takes a day or two for the predator to commit to meeting up with the alleged minor, to which they are then taken into custody by Woodford County deputies.
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