Mar 30, 2025 By Zach Petrof 4 min read

The Department of Justice estimates that at any given time there are 50,000 predators on the internet actively seeking out children, but local prosecutors say that using civilian investigators isn’t the way to stop them.

Groups like Predator Poachers, Bikers Against Predators and Predator Catchers PA are garnering attention across the country for trying to stop people who are seeking out young victims. They do their own investigations by posing as an underage child to correspond with someone they suspect is trying to victimize a young person and in many instances, livestream a confrontation with that suspect on social media.

Members of these self-described predator hunting groups say they hand over their evidence to local police, who can file charges based on what they’ve been given.

But while the motives of these groups may be well-intentioned, that doesn’t mean they’re providing meaningful help to police and prosecutors.

“State police have a dedicated task force for crimes like this, and our law enforcement officers have had a lot of training on how to interpret these laws,” Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said.

While Robert Bloom, who heads Bikers Against Predators, and Nicholas Attalla, a member of Niky Sal, said they make the cases as airtight as possible by carefully collecting evidence, that doesn’t negate that the evidence has to be properly collected, Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said.

“I understand the reasoning, being a child predator is abhorrent and horrible, but Pennsylvania law specifically only allows law enforcement to act as minors when trying to gather evidence,” Walsh said.

Ignoring that law can jeopardize prosecution and make any case that could be filed moot, said Bruce Antkowiak, a law professor at St. Vincent College.

“They are operating outside the normal parameters that police have to operate with respect to the Fourth and Fifth amendments,” Antkowiak said.

The Fourth Amendment protects against unlawful search and seizure, and the Fifth Amendment protects individuals’ rights in criminal cases.

Earlier this month, a Westmoreland County judge suppressed all of the evidence gathered by police as a result of a sting conducted by Predator Catchers PA.

In suppressing the evidence, the judge’s ruling made specific note that, “The search warrant was based on communications that occurred between the defendant and a civilian posing as a minor.”

In February, a different Westmoreland judge outright dismissed a case, ruling that evidence derived from a sting conducted by Texas-based Predator Poachers was inadmissible for a similar reason.

Since many of these groups record the interaction when they confront a suspected predator, Antkowiak said they could also find themselves facing charges for violating wiretapping laws.

“The law of Pennsylvania is that unless both parties have agreed to the conversation being recorded, it’s a criminal offense,” he said, noting there are “very limited exceptions” to that.

Bloom insists that the groups work with law enforcement and are extra cautious when it comes to following state laws. He said they’re just trying to help underfunded and understaffed police departments.

“Local law enforcement can’t do operations like we do. I can do an operation solely by myself for $40, and that’s just going to get a (prepaid) phone at Walmart,” Bloom said.

The intention may be good, but acting as self-appointed police officers won’t really help to stop child predators – at least not under Pennsylvania’s laws, Antowiak said.

That’s not to say there’s no room for civilians to help, but only if they let law enforcement be the guiding force.

“I don’t think there’s any need or any efficacy to individual groups just going rogue on things like this. I think if they’re able to work with law enforcement and law enforcement is given extra resources they need, … the net result of that would be much more positive,” Antkowiak said.