Fayette County arrest reignites debate over civilian predator hunting groups

An arrest in Fayette County is reigniting a debate over the growing number of civilian groups working to catch sexual predators in Pennsylvania.

Prosecutors say 47-year-old Robert Wayne Jordan believed he was communicating online with a 12-year-old child and arranged a meeting at a home in Uniontown.

But investigators say the child was actually a decoy working with Predator Poachers — a civilian group that later turned evidence over to Uniontown police.

Jordan is now charged with attempted corruption of minors and attempted unlawful contact with a minor. 

But beyond the criminal charges, this investigation is putting a spotlight on a growing divide among prosecutors. Some say civilian sexual predator hunting groups are helping identify alleged offenders and generating valuable evidence. Others warn those same tactics can jeopardize investigations before they ever reach a courtroom. 

"As long as they're operating within the confines of the law, we're going to take whatever information they give us," said Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele. 

"The fact of the matter is, if any of these cases are brought to my office, we're going to review what they have, we're going to work with them, and if we have enough to prosecute, we're going to prosecute," Aubele added. 

But the arrest is also highlighting a growing disagreement among prosecutors over whether civilian sexual predator hunting groups are hurting criminal cases.

"While prospective criminal prosecutions are being hindered by the actions of these civilian groups, public safety is in jeopardy every time these civilians attempt to confront alleged perpetrators," Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said in a statement. 

Ziccarelli says civilian predator-catching teams are not trained law enforcement officers and warns some investigations have been compromised because groups confronted suspects before police could conduct their own investigation.

Westmoreland County's concern isn't just public safety. Ziccarelli says some vigilante-led investigations have fallen apart in court, with judges suppressing evidence and dismissing charges, allowing cases they believe could have been prosecuted to go no further.

"If their goal is truly to protect children, they are not doing it when taking matters into their own hands, refusing to turn over information to law enforcement, and putting the public at risk without proper safety measures in place," Ziccarelli added. 

But Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele says his experience has been much different.

"What most of these groups are doing is what they believe is right and it's a service to the public," Aubele said. "These are individuals that are clearly trying to attract children, have sexual relations with children, which is entirely illegal and outrageous. So I do appreciate the work that they're putting in."

Aubele says his office currently has three pending criminal cases that originated with information provided by other civilian predator hunting groups. He says when groups preserve evidence and cooperate with investigators, the information can help law enforcement identify suspects and build prosecutable cases.

The debate comes as more of these groups emerge across Pennsylvania, often posting confrontations online and drawing thousands of views.

What's clear is prosecutors agree on the goal: protecting children. What they don't agree on is who should be conducting these investigations in the first place.