SoCal kids perform sting operation to capture suspected predator

Move over, Chris Hansen – 20 youngsters in Southern California just pulled off a sting operation that netted a suspected predator.

Riverside County deputies responded to a tip Friday that an adult met a minor for sex at Nicolas Road Park in Temecula, according to a release. When they arrived around 4:25 p.m., a group of 20 juveniles were filming the suspect, William Vandenbush, 46, of Homeland.

Authorities did not say how old the minors were, exactly how they organized the sting or how they previously encountered Vandenbush.

Still, a law enforcement investigation confirmed that Vandenbush had sent nude photos and agreed to meet a minor at the park for sexual purposes, and he was arrested on multiple felony charges.

It is not clear whether the junior detectives were inspired by Hansen’s NBC television series, “To Catch a Predator,” in which suspected sexual predators are caught on hidden cameras when they arrive at a brothel to have sex with a minor.

The department cautioned against vigilante efforts to meet with or investigate potential suspects. The department said in a release that it is not only unsafe but can complicate an investigation if evidence is mishandled.

“This action unnecessarily jeopardized the safety of everyone near the park,” the release said.

“Law enforcement professionals who investigate these types of serious crimes have specialized training and follow specific protocols to ensure a proper investigation, evidence preservation and public safety,” the release said. “By following these specific protocols, the investigation is not compromised and ensures that a thorough investigation is presented to their local district attorney’s office for prosecution.”

Local sting operations have had some success in getting their suspects prosecuted in recent years, but others have not met prosecutors’ high standards, KTLA reported.

Vandenbush was booked into the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center for sending harmful material to a minor, contacting a minor for sexual purposes and arranging to meet a minor for sexual purposes. He has not posted $25,000 bail as of Monday afternoon and is awaiting an arraignment Wednesday at the Murrieta Southwest Justice Center, according to jail records.