Background: A man collapses and hits his head after several men reportedly confronted him about allegedly speaking online with someone he believed was a minor (KWTX/YouTube). Insets (from left to right): Russell Goodwin, Ryan Koch, and George Liebsch (McLennan County Sheriff”s Office).
In Oklahoma, a trio of men has been accused of taking justice into their own hands by confronting and allegedly “humiliating” individuals they suspect of being sexual predators. Russell Goodwin, Ryan Koch, and George Liebsch are facing charges of unlawful restraint with the potential for serious bodily injury, stemming from what began as an investigation into the online solicitation of a minor.
This unusual case took a detour when the men, affiliated with the group Oklahoma Predator Prevention (OPP), decided to take matters into their own hands. According to the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office, Goodwin, who founded the group, along with Koch and Liebsch, orchestrated a confrontation in August at a trailer park in McLennan County.
The operation involved an adult man who believed he was engaging in explicit online communication with a minor, who was, in reality, an OPP decoy. The confrontation was documented, showing a man, reportedly Goodwin, urging the suspect to talk to them instead of the police, offering what he described as an opportunity.
The ages of the three men remain undisclosed, but their actions have sparked a significant legal response. The law enforcement agency’s report highlights the complexities of citizen-led interventions in potential criminal activities and raises questions about the boundaries of such vigilantism.
Video was taken of the three members confronting the man. The video — obtained by Waco-based CBS affiliate KWTX — “revealed a coordinated effort by the three OPP members to control and restrict the man’s movements, including directing him where to stand, corralling him into a secluded area, all the while using aggressive and profane language,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Dude, I’m trying to give you a [redacted] opportunity here to talk to us and not the police, right?” a man believed to be Goodwin says while looking through papers in a folder.
“Yeah,” the man replies.
“If I wanted to [redacted] call the cops, I would have already had them here,” the OPP member continues. “Now cut the [redacted], I’m not playing with you no more, dude.”
At some point, “the situation escalated to the point where the man lost consciousness” and collapsed, the sheriff’s office detailed. The man can be seen sliding down the white pickup truck on which he was leaning, hitting the ground, and then smacking his head on the underside of the vehicle.
“Call the cops,” someone says soon after, and the sheriff’s office said “only at that point” did the OPP members notify authorities of what was going on.
Through their investigation, the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office “confirmed” that the man targeted by the three OPP members “had in fact sent a sexually explicit picture to what he believed to be a minor aged female when in actuality” it was the OPP members.
That man, who was not named by the sheriff’s office, was ultimately arrested.
“While the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office remains firmly committed to protecting children from online exploitation, they also emphasize the importance of public safety and lawful conduct,” the agency said. “The MCSO strongly discourages the public from engaging in vigilante activities.”
“Confronting suspected predators without proper training or proper law enforcement support is extremely dangerous and can result in escalation, unintended harm to the surrounding community, tainted evidence and interfering with criminal investigations,” they added.
The sheriff’s office noted that OPP “follows a trend seen by similar social media vigilante groups” where “decoys” and “catchers” are used to “carry out sting-style operations” targeting people suspected of trying to meet up with minors.
“These confrontations” or “catches” are often livestreamed “with the intent of exposing/humiliating alleged predators, while also generating online content aimed at building a following and monetizing their activities,” the authorities added.
They also noted how OPP was described by an investigative journalism organization as a “vigilante group” that targets “intellectually disabled individuals” and can “lead to false confessions and evidentiary issues without legal accountability.”
