Video Vigilantes Arrested in Florida
A group of five young Florida men is facing an assortment of criminal charges for battering and falsely imprisoning a man who they targeted in a “To Catch a Predator”-style sting that was recorded and “uploaded to a website for public viewing for profit,” according to court records.
As alleged in arrest affidavits, the video vigilantism occurred around 2 AM Friday at a home in Largo, a city in the Tampa Bay area.
The victim arrived at the residence expecting to meet a minor for a sexual encounter. The man apparently had been lured to the short-term rental property via a dating app or some other fraudulent online enticement. After arriving at the residence, the victim was forced onto a couch while being yelled at to “sit the fuck down” and “shut the fuck up.” One of the assailants placed the victim in a rear-naked choke hold while others “repeatedly threatened” him and warned of “police intervention.” While pinning the victim down, the defendants stood in a circle around the man and “physically attacked” him while he was “trapped and unable to leave” and “was begging and pleading for the attack to stop,” cops charge.
One of the men arrested, Matthew Qualey, 19, (seen upper left) “forcibly shaved the head of the victim against his will” for “humiliation purposes.” The group of attackers “repeatedly threatened the victim and coerced him into doing acts of humiliation,” which are not further described in court documents. The accused men recorded the incident and planned to “profit monetarily” from the video, which was “uploaded to a website for public viewing for profit without the victim’s consent.”
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Need to remember both,the vigilante stings and LE stings,are done for profit. The LE stings gain grant money and the officers involved are paid overtime wages through the grants.
Need to also remember the deceitful intent behind the stings. Ads are done on adult dating sites with profiles proclaiming of age and roleplay being an interest. We don’t know if the victim believed it was a minor. The decoy likely started at an adult age. Please watch stingingback on yt for more details about the vigilantes and LE stings.
Cat and mouse theory.= Law Enforcement
Nurse and doctor theory. = Prevention and Treatment.
As a parent of three children I endorse nurse and doctor theory.
Normal parents have always been vigilant of their children and family. Before the internet age, how did we do it? The answer has not changed for me. I use my god given senses and listen to the content of their character.
Otherwise I direct my family into a different direction. Simply logic.
None of the violence would have happened if the list wasn’t public. A public list clearly violates the constitution as cruel and unusual punishment. Public safety has turned into public court and retribution.
On a different note. My father 89, stood a post from 1956-58, on the German Czech border between Russia and freedom.
He calls the Registry list like he sees it. I quote,
“It started out like a good idea. But it’s now gone too far”
I love you dad. If it wasn’t for you I’d be far worse.
S O without family help are and have been in constant danger. Even low level ones now. It wasn’t enough to just monitor predators.
I told him how the list has hurt many successful people(rehabilitation and education) from living their lives. Like many veterans he says the Constitution has been violated. “Legislators are supposed to be smarter than that I would hope!” Me to dad, me too.
Have a good day Florida
M
A central Florida county this week did a sting and caught over 200 people (Future registered citizens)
Almost none actually committed a sex offense but did go to meet someone they thought were under aged but all of the people they went to meet ended up being law enforcement.
I bring this up because eventually, there will be so many people on the registry that it will start to feel normal to live next to one of us. And sadly, some of those who did not actually meet a real person (other than the cop) will most likely be on the same registry status of someone who actually met up with and had sex with an underaged person. And the Florida registry is for life regardless if you had 100 victims or no victim at all. (fake stings)
And yes, I agree that these people were really hoping to meet underaged people so I do not feel sorry for them, other than they will get the same registry of someone who really did meet a minor.
I sincerely hope this gentleman has the sense to hire a civil attorney and sue the 5 into the poor house. And if any of them are minors, be sure to sue their parents as well.
chances are he is heading top prison facing his own laundry list of charges as well I would imagine. I doubt the government will let the opportunity slip..
FUBAR. Repeal the sex registry. Congress and legislators have subverted the Constitution long enough. All levels of government have subverted the constitution. The cry for public safety is a lie.
Prove that the list is beneficial.
Prove to me it’s a crystal ball into the future.
I’ll prove the list is counterproductive.
Law enforcement doesn’t need a public list. Law enforcement has better access than a public database. Government agencies always have.
Public list is a tool for vigilante justice in perpetuity. A tool for a public courtroom in perpetuity.
Uncivil justice in perpetuity.
A tool for power exchange, and money exchange. Each one an extortion of monetary, and individual freedoms; Regardless of race gender or creed. You’re entitled to justice before the law. Civil law is monetary penalty. Either by hour or greenback dollar. The government sponsored rhetoric of public safety is a lie.
Follow the money. Follow the money.
I should have been a lawyer my attorney said 30 years ago. Well it’s been 30 years since my crime. No recidivism. Never a thought.
No more vigilante violence needed to prove Constitutional violations have been committed. There has been too many now. And for heaven’s sakes remember everyone is entitled to their opinion without violence. Use your feet and go somewhere else. Use your intelligence and walk away to be happy tomorrow. Strong Americans walk away with civility and integrity and respect. Others, not so much. Please walk away peacefully people. Tomorrow depends on it. And the people who depend on you depend on it.
I agree, but what role did the registry play in this incident? None, apparently.
The role of public court by five young men constantly using the list to target their victims. That’s my opinion to the question.
@ BEN
Unfortunately, the odds, the stats and the backers of the registry are against us by a landslide. Most people only get on board of ending the registry when either they are personally put on it, or a family member who is supporting their loved one who is on the registry.
The fact that there is almost no way off is insane. I have even seen murderers who had life sentences, get released. Yes a few select people have been removed from the registry, but with about 1 million people on registries, our only help is from groups like F.A.C and NARSOL.
We have had progress on things like ordinances that were challenged and won, but the grand prize is taking down the registry. And even if that doesn’t happen, how come the courts won’t allow those who have been on the registry for years or even decades, to get a chance to be removed? (Which by the way should be automatic)
the government will never actually stop anything it tacitly endorses.. this is the purpose of the registry.. not a bug in the system.
A few years ago, there was a push in a few places to outlaw this activity yet I cannot think of a single state that took action. I doubt these thugs will get anything more than a lovetap on the wrist.
They are under arrest and facing an assortment of criminal charges.
Doesn’t mean much. They raise the money to bond out, then get maybe unmonitored “probation”, maybe a small fine, if that.
Let us know if that happens.
‘The accused men recorded the incident and planned to “profit monetarily” from the video’
Wow! So now vigilantism is a scheme to make money from click baiting.
How about law enforcement create a new sting operation called ‘to catch a vigilante’.
It is my opinion that if you use sex to lure someone and your not a law enforcement officer, they should have to register as a sex offender. Especially since it got violent and degrading