A former Texas police officer will spend his life behind bars after he was ensnared by what prosecutors described as a “civilian predator catcher group” aimed at taking down child sex offenders.
Daniel Joseph Bates was found guilty Sept. 2 of online solicitation of a minor and possession of child pornography after he was discovered to be in possession of numerous images of child pornography and other visual material “depicting sexual assaults of young children,” according to a statement from District Attorney Timothy M. Good provided to Oxygen.com.
He was sentenced to three life sentences plus an additional 40 years, to run concurrently, in connection to the solicitation charge.
“The badge was supposed to be a shield for children—not a shield for a predator,” Assistant District Attorney Christy May said. “He made his choices. The jury made its verdict. And the judge made sure his next choice will be made from a prison cell for the rest of his life.”
Daniel Joseph Bates Arrested After Trying to Solicit Teen Online
Bates was arrested after prosecutors said he tried to arrange a meeting “for the purposes of engaging in sexual activity” with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl.
“The 15-year-old female was in fact a civilian predator catcher group that shared Bates’ communications with local law enforcement and the Texas Rangers,” prosecutors said. “Bates was arrested by the Texas Rangers, and a resulting warrant to search his electronics confirmed his attempt to solicit a minor for sex as well as uncovered that Bates was in possession of numerous items of child pornography and sexual abuse material involving minors.”
Investigators found nearly 300 photos and images of children being sexually abused in his possession.
At trial, prosecutors said Bates testified that he had the images as part of a “secret police investigation” that he was conducting into human trafficking.
“Bates was reserving for a small local agency and was working highway construction security at the time of his arrest,” prosecutors added in the release. “Bates was unable to substantiate his claims that he was conducting an official police investigation and was ultimately found guilty on all charges.”
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Good thanked both the jury and law enforcement officers, acknowledging the “emotional toll” the trial likely took to achieve justice.
“The images and videos that had to be processed and presented to the jury are indescribable in the level of depravity they depict and the degree of deviance of the defendant who voluntarily possessed and viewed those types of images,” he said in the release. “Daniel Bates disgraced his badge and violated his oath and became the monster that he was sworn to protect the community from. Our community is safer with Bates serving three consecutive life sentences.”
Arlind Queriman—who told Fox 4 he acted as the adult decoy in the civilian group to bring Bates down—said Bates made it clear in the exchanges that he always carried a gun.
“Some people say we’re vigilantes. Vigilantes beat up these people,” Queriman added. “I hand everything over to law enforcement.”
