A vigilante fed up with online sexual predators is being credited for helping to arrest an Oregon man accused of attempting to meet with underage girls he met online, according to multiple reports.
Deputies in Cowlitz County, Washington, arrested 27-year-old Christopher Ross Scheuermann on Monday after he planned to meet with a pair of girls, age 12 and 15, for sex, according to court records obtained by KPTV.
Scheuermann connected with the girls on Whisper, a social media app that allows people to post anonymous messages. The girls, however, didn't exist. On the other end of the conversation was Curtis Hart, a member of the so-called "Punisher Squad" who aim to take down men who attempt to meet young girls for sex on the internet, KATU reported.
"I posted a post saying something about being excited for summer vacation and (asking) if any older people wanted to hang out," Hart told KPTV. "This individual responded pretty quickly and he escalated the conversation with inappropriate pictures of himself. Instantly. Within five minutes."
Scheuermann told Hart he would drive from St. Helens, Oregon, to meet with the girls on a dead end street, KPTV reported.
"I had my window rolled down and I asked him what he was doing back there," Hart told the TV station. "I had a few choice words for him and he just took off."
Hart called authorities to report the encounter and Scheuermann was arrested.
Jail records show Scheuermann faces multiple charges, including two counts of attempted rape of a child. He remained jailed early Friday.
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