ANSONIA – A Naugatuck man was charged with having child pornography on his phone after a “To Catch A Predator”-like group told police they had caught him in an online sting.
Roger Pratt, 36, was arrested May 15. He is charged with one count of possession of child sexual abuse material.
Police began investigating Pratt after he was reported by a member of Predator Poachers, an organization that sets up sting operations by acting as underage kids online. According to a video posted by the group, Pratt had talked online with one of their members, who was pretending to be a thirteen-year-old girl.
In the video, which was shared on social media in April, a man from the group approached Pratt outside his workplace in Ansonia. He asked Pratt about the online conversations.
“How old did (censored) say she was?” the man asked.
“Thirteen,” Pratt said.
“Predator Poachers” said in the video that Pratt had sent inappropriate photos over the phone, while believing he was sending them to a child.
The man from the group also asked questions about online child porn that Pratt said he had seen. At the end of the video, the man from “Predator Poachers” handed over a stack of documents to police, describing them as inappropriate chat logs involving Pratt.
Police said they began an investigation and seized Pratt’s phone. That investigation led to charges being brought against Pratt.
In a statement May 20, Ansonia Police Lt. Patrick Lynch warned against private citizens conducting criminal investigations.
“While the actions of the group to identify and expose child predators is commendable, the Ansonia Police Department does not recommend private citizens confront someone they suspect, but rather reach out to the law enforcement agency where the suspect resides to report their suspicions,” Lynch said.
Pratt’s bond was set at $75,000. A hearing was scheduled at Superior Court in Milford for May 20.