The DIY Predator Catchers of Erie, Pennsylvania
Doing what the police can't (or won't) do
Probably the most dystopian form of entertainment available on social media is the "predator catcher" video. A citizen poses on social media as a minor and lets potential predators contact them. If the predator is willing to meet, the catcher will confront them in a public place (it could be anywhere, but many catchers — particularly in Canada — seem to be fond of Walmart).
Predator catchers aren't just activists, they're social media influencers. One high-profile catcher is the pseudonymous CC Unit, whose videos have chalked up over 22 million views since early 2020. He claims to have caught 195 predators since he began. His total earnings on YouTube are an estimated $56,413 — and that’s before you throw in monthly subscriptions to his paywalled content and donations received through PayPal and CashApp.
This past weekend, I saw a video of someone who may or may not be named "Dennis" as he was hounded out the Millcreek Mall in Erie County, Pennsylvania after allegedly going to meet a 14-year-old autistic girl for sex. There was no underage girl, however; this was the latest sting operation of Nathaniel Burgos, the co-founder of Erie Predator Catchers (EPC). Working with his brother Ethan Perez, Nate lures potential predators into public, where they film the interaction. It’s a kind of social media public shaming. And it's effective, according to Burgos.
"I think it's stopping predators," he says. "Where my brother lives, he actually cleared out the whole neighborhood of predators, actually. No one in his area will talk to anyone that's underage. We've caught five guys in that area."
The group does what the cops can’t (or won’t) do, according to Burgos. And he is definitely not a cop. He has conspicuous tattoos, and in April he went to jail after getting into a fight. But he says that shouldn’t reflect poorly on his work catching predators.
"I made a mistake and I regret it," he says in a statement on Facebook. "I got angry and my emotions got the best of me and they shouldn’t have and I should have kept it in check. I apologize to everyone I affected from the bottom of my heart and I’m willing to accept [the] consequences."
The following interview took place at Burgos’ apartment outside of the City of Erie. It has been edited for length and clarity.
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