Why Indianapolis volleyball coach wasn't arrested after viral 'predator hunter' video

Indianapolis Star

a day ago

A video starts with a confrontation outside The Academy Volleyball Club, where YouTuber Jidon Adams, who goes by JiDion Premium online, asks a man, "Are we going to talk to 14-year-old boys like this anymore?" A dramatic sound effect plays, showing the face of a man who doesn't answer.
The camera then pans to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers Amy Younge and Joshua Keith, who tell Adams to explain what's happening.
Adams said the man was speaking with a fake teen on the adult LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr, and told police the man, who he said was a volleyball coach, sent multiple pictures of his genitalia. Adams held in his hands stacks of papers that he touted as screenshot evidence.
"I will say this, I have run into this before," Keith tells Adams in the video. "Our prosecutor will not touch this. So, I need probable cause that a crime has been committed."
The video, which was shared by Black Indy LIVE on Facebook Aug. 11, shines light on predator-catching groups and individuals who will post confrontations with people online as a way to expose and shame them. Experts say they often do more harm than good.
The man targeted in the video wasn't arrested, although a police report lists him as a suspect. The incident prompted police to release a statement saying the video does not include important context.
Marion County Prosecutor's Office spokesperson Michael Leffler told IndyStar that the office strongly encourages individuals to report suspected incidents to law enforcement as early as possible.
The rest of the video shows Adams asking for the officers' names and badge numbers. When confronted by a man who said he owned the property, Adams yells obscenities at them as he's being removed from the property by police.
The incident happened at 7:21 p.m. on July 22, 2025, at the volleyball center in the 6600 block of East 30th Street. The police report is categorized as "trouble with a person" but also shows an offense of child solicitation.
In the video, Adams accuses the man of being inappropriate with a minor on Grindr, a LGBTQ+ dating and social networking app where the minimum age to make an account is 18.
Earlier this year, Grindr said it actively tries to keep minors off the app, although there is currently no way to perfectly verify the age of every person seeking to use an adults-only online platform.
Before Adams was told to leave by academy staff, the day he confronted a man about his dealings on the app, Adams said he was going to stand outside and let every parent he saw know what was going on.
"You're a worse piece of s--- than him!' Adams tells the person who identified themselves as the property owner in the video. The last part of the clip shows Adams being escorted away as he yells, "He came to meet a 14-year-old boy..."
The YouTuber, who lives in Texas, couldn't be reached for comment by IndyStar. He traveled to Indiana to conduct the sting operation.
IndyStar reached out to The Academy Volleyball Club, which did not respond by the time of this article's publication, but a page on the club's website — no longer available — shows the man was on the staff.
IndyStar unsuccessfully tried to reach the accused man for comment. The newspaper is not naming the man because he was not charged.
Black Indy Live's post has over 700 shares, over 300 comments, and over 700 likes by the time of this article's publication. Adams' YouTube channel has over 4 million subscribers, and includes reaction videos, prank videos, and collaborations with famous YouTubers and influencers.
Adams posted the same video on TikTok on Aug. 2, garnering over 2.5 million views there. He also livestreamed the encounter on Instagram.
Because he mistakenly posted that the location was Marion, Indiana, that city's police department had to post online that it was not their jurisdiction.
Based on his channel's videos, Adams started posting attempts to trap people nine months ago, streaming the live interactions. The bio on the channel reads that although he and his team are not law enforcement, they work closely with them to ensure that all those documented are held accountable for their actions.
In one video, police in Oregon arrested a man targeted by Adams, but only because the man had a warrant for his arrest in an unrelated case. Adams was upset they didn't arrest him for texting someone he thought was an underage girl.
Albany, Oregon, police told Adams that he and his team are not law enforcement and were creating a danger in their community that officers were not OK with.
In 2007, a Texas district attorney refused to prosecute any of the men caught by Dateline NBC's "To Catch a Predator," saying many of the cases were tainted by the involvement of amateurs.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police urge people to report directly to local law enforcement agencies if they suspect a crime involving a child.
"Attempting to intervene independently or record content for social media can compromise investigations and potentially endanger those involved," the statement read.
Victor Vieth is the chief program officer for Zero Abuse Project, a nonprofit focused on child sexual abuse. He is also a former child abuse prosecutor who works with law enforcement. He said social media influencers like Adams aren't aiding by confronting people and exposing it online.
'It's well-meaning but it's not helpful if the goal is to catch sex offenders," Vieth told IndyStar. "There are significant legal issues that can affect a case, resulting in no arrest."
Vieth said there's a reason professionals get training and education to understand law and the justice system. People need to understand the law of entrapment before they attempt to catch someone doing something wrong. Investigators are trained to ask follow-up questions to figure out if others are in danger of being abused.
Leffler said the Marion County Child Advocacy Center has always worked closely with law enforcement to consult, thoroughly review, and strengthen any case brought forward.
"Early reporting not only helps ensure the safety of those at risk but also preserves critical evidence so that it meets the legal and ethical standards required to be admissible in court," Leffler said. "We want law enforcement to investigate potential crimes of abuse, and we want to prosecute them."
Vieth said if citizens want to help get predators off the street, there are other ways they can volunteer with advocacy centers and ask how they can better support the criminal justice community. He said looking at public policy initiatives can also move the needle on holding officials accountable for confronting the issue.
"Without education, you're just tipping off the offender, who can then go cover their bases," Vieth said. "Then you have a safety issue for both the victim, the offender and the person confronting them. They're at higher risk of hurting themselves and others when caught."
He also spoke with IndyStar on the same topic in 2021 and questioned the motivation of people who call themselves predator hunters.
"What I worry is people who engage in this are not really in it to get kids safe," Vieth said. "They're in it for the high and the 'Oh look at me! I caught this offender.'"
If you are a victim or know someone who may have been impacted or have information on this case, IMPD encourages people to contact their sex crimes unit at 317-327-3330. Any information on separate cases can be submitted to the DCS Hotline at 1-800-800-5556 or the National Center for Exploited and Missing Children Cyber tip line: 1-800-843-5678 or report.cybertip.org.