OGDEN — The videos are easily found online; viral clips of sting operations, dramatic encounters and potential child predators exposed by citizen-led groups.
Civilian predator hunters film it all and upload the footage to large online followings willing to pay to watch. Their goal is to catch pedophiles, and in Utah, it’s worked on more than one occasion.
The KSL Investigators examined a handful of cases in Utah brought to light by the Houston, Texas-based group, Predator Poachers. While law enforcers are quick to discourage citizens from doing work traditionally reserved for sworn officers, supporters point to cases of convicted predators who weren’t on the radar of official investigators before Predator Poachers caught them.
Still, some in law enforcement worry it may complicate justice.
‘I’d like to bury it’
Police body camera footage shows Weber County Sheriff’s Deputies rolling up to a confrontation between Alex Rosen, creator of Predator Poachers, and 43-year-old Jonathan Terkelson in 2024.
“You’re not going to ever try to meet up with a 13-year-old girl again, are you,” Rosen asked a distressed Terkelson in front of law enforcement. “This is your last time doing it, buddy?”
Rosen then told investigators his group posed as a minor online and had been communicating with Terkelson. He handed over printed copies of the conversations, saying, “he invited this girl over under sexual pretenses.”
“I’d like to bury it and move on,” Terkelson is heard telling a responding deputy.
Later, during an interview with detectives after the confrontation, Terkelson admitted he considered engaging in sexual activity that night. He also said he was nervous the person he was planning to meet wasn’t real.
According to court documents, a search of Terkelson’s devices revealed he had child sex abuse material. He took a plea deal that placed him on Utah’s sex offender registry but suspended an up to 15-year prison sentence in favor of probation. He has since been arrested again after allegedly violating his probation by continuing to view images of children, making new social media accounts and failing to participate in sex offense therapy.
When reached by phone, an attorney representing Terkelson did not comment.
‘We love coming to Utah’
Terkelson’s case is a success story for Rosen.
“We do love the PD’s in Utah,” he told KSL. “Most of them have arrested our guys and are very receptive to what we do. So, we love coming to Utah.”
Predator Poacher’s efforts have led to arrests in St. George and Sandy earlier this year — both cases are still pending.
The KSL Investigators spoke with Rosen earlier this month during a video call, as he was on the road chasing his next catch.
“We have arrests in 48 different states, convictions in 41, including in Utah,” Rosen said.
He proudly rattled off stats and stories six years into a venture he started with his first fake profile at 19, before he was old enough to be a police officer in his hometown. He said he couldn’t believe how quickly an online predator reached out, and he’s been chasing them ever since.
Rosen now works with a team of more than a dozen people. Videos of his confrontations are posted online, some behind a paywall for loyal subscribers. He also works with sponsors and even sells merch.
“Most people are very supportive of what we do,” he said. “They like to see the pedos go down.”
‘People are going to get hurt’
Several Utah law enforcers, however, expressed concerns. They’re worried about civilians orchestrating stings and confronting potential criminals.
“They don’t have the training, they don’t have the expertise, and it’s very dangerous,” said Greg Rogers, a retired FBI agent and former prosecutor. “People are going to get hurt.”
“I think they have good intentions,” said Weber County Detective Dustin Stewart. “I do think they are doing things that they’re not qualified to do.”
He said his main concern is public safety. Sexual predators are becoming more cautious and wary when it comes to meeting up with someone online, and they’re choosing to arm themselves more often, he said.
“When they see somebody show up with a bunch of phone cameras and you know, they realize what has happened, things can turn dangerous pretty quickly,” Stewart said.
Prosecutors also worry about having to throw out a case because of evidence issues, a technicality, or a violation of someone’s rights.
“There are a lot of ways that things can go wrong,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill. “And those are the things that when law enforcement does it, I don’t have to worry about.”
The KSL Investigators did not find an example of that happening in Utah.
‘We’re not vigilantes’
Rosen has a different view. He said there are simply too many predators online for police to get them all.
“Do I think the cops would get most of them? No. No, I don’t. I really don’t,” he said, of the people he’s exposed. “We have over 200 convictions, and the amount of them that the cops were already investigating, I can count on probably only two hands, maybe even less.”
Rosen said Predator Poachers are not violent and he’s never laid hands on the subject of one of his confrontations.
“We’re not vigilantes. We don’t take the law into our own hands and enforce it. We’re not the judge, jury and executioner,” he said. “We’re the antithesis of vigilantes. We gather evidence and turn it over to law enforcement, allowing them to be prosecuted.”
Rosen admits he has been chased by someone with a gun. And he made headlines earlier this year when he was arrested for trespassing and harassment while confronting an alleged predator inside a restaurant — charges he said are being reduced, “rightfully so.” He’s also open about the fact that this is how he makes a living.
“A criticism they like to say of some of what we do is that we do it for clicks, money and this type of stuff,” he said. “One, I need to have a job. I mean, that’s how I, you know, take care of myself.”
He said it’s not about who gets the credit, and he has story after story to share of child predators who are now behind bars, unable to hurt anyone, thanks to Predator Poachers.
“Look, that pedo’s arrested, he’s never going to touch a kid again, and that’s all we care about,” Rosen said.
‘Good work on what you guys are doing’
A review of Rosen’s encounters reveals it’s not unusual for police to express gratitude for the work of Predator Poachers.
“Good work on what you guys are doing,” a law enforcement officer in Weber County is heard telling Rosen in body camera footage.
“With the Predator Poachers on our case, it was handled the best way it could have been,” said Detective Stewart, of the confrontation leading to a conviction against Terkelson.
Despite the concerns, Rosen said he has no plans to stop poaching.
“I see me doing something like this for, gosh, till I can’t walk anymore,” he said. “I’m going to do this forever.”
And there’s a demand for it, as long as people keep watching.
