KINGSTON, Pa. — Kingston police posted their latest sting arrest of an alleged child predator on Facebook.
David Dannecker, 37, of Allentown was arrested after allegedly sending sexually explicit messages to Det. Stephen Gibson, who Dannecker believed was a 15-year-old girl.
Dannecker was taken into custody after showing up at an agreed-on location to meet the girl.
Det. Gibson says this is his seventh sting arrest since the pandemic hit in March, and it's due to the pandemic that he increased his sting operations.
Teachers are mandated reporters of child abuse. With schools closed, teachers aren't seeing students, and abuse isn't getting reported.
"It did give us an opportunity to be a little bit more proactive than we would be regularly, which is why you see so many so quickly right now," said Det. Gibson, speaking to Newswatch 16 over the phone.
Det. Gibson says one of his arrests was a federal corrections officer.
He says the reason his department posts the arrests to social media is for two reasons.
- Show child predators that police are hunting for them,
- To remind parents of the real dangers to their children online.
"That the parents could read this and know what's out there and know that these people are out there," said Det. Gibson.
Parents in the Kingston area say they're grateful to see child predators being so actively pursued.
"I have three kids, and I worry every day about my kids just because I know there's sick people out there," said Sean Pearson from Kingston.
"Something needs to be done because it's constant, everywhere you go, you're like looking behind you," said Mindy Malia of Forty Fort.
Another sting operation is going viral, and it's not run by the police.
A man named Musa Harris is setting up alleged child predators and catching them on Facebook live on his post called "Luzerne County Predator Catcher."
Parents appreciate his efforts as well.
"I feel kind of happy though because he's catching predators like that," said Pearson.
We spoke with Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis who says her office has been investigating those videos on the Predator Catcher posts and working with multiple police departments.