Grindr Vigilantes Who Posed As Teen Boys To Catch Predators Nabbed For Terroristic Threats

Two New Jersey vigilantes who were using Grindr to catch would-be predators in order to report them to the police were charged on Wednesday, March 2, with terroristic threats and criminal threats after their methods to entice evidence out of the alleged sexual criminals proved to be too aggressive.

The two men, who remained unnamed due to the lesser severity of their crimes, had reportedly done their own vigilante sting operation where they would pose as a 15-year-old boy in the dating app Grindr to arrange meetings in Edison, New Jersey, according to NJ.com.

The 34-year-old Edison man and his 26-year-old Springfield resident partner would then order the men to the back of their car, where they would interrogate the alleged predators for an hour with the threat of castration, among other intimidations, looming over their conversation, the Daily Beast reported.

Two of the men they catfished were successfully identified as 29-year-old Anthony Cotos and 21-year-old Jordan Grundy, and they reportedly provided enough evidence against the men that the police were able to charge them with enticing a child and endangering the welfare of a minor.

A third man who was confronted at the meeting spot in New Jersey reportedly fled the scene before being interrogated, and it remains unclear if the pair have enough evidence to help police officers charge that specific man.

In spite of the help that the two vigilantes were able to give out in hunting down and arresting two suspects, the aggressiveness of their methods caused the police to also charge them with criminal restraint and terroristic threats, which are largely disorderly person offenses.

Two other men were also charged with interfering with the police when they went to the 34-year-old vigilante’s residence to arrest him for the terroristic threat charge. One was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, while the other received a charge of obstructing the administration of law and resisting arrest.

It is unclear if the two vigilantes have been imprisoned or if they have been able to post bond for their charges.