Latest news with #OperationSoap
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Yahoo
‘We don't try people in the media': Attorneys voice concerns with online civilian groups
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A group of citizens are taking justice into their own hands to catch predators. A Lebanon man is now charged with attempting to entice a minor online after a citizen group tipped off police. However, the group 'Operation Soap' found itself in a controversy after Lebanon Police put out a statement about what it calls 'vigilante groups.' This statement sparked controversy online and Ozarks First is continuing to follow the story now that charges have been filed. Ozarks First asked a prosecutor and a defense attorney how they feel about these online groups. 'Law enforcement agencies can't partner with them,' said Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson. 'They can't turn them into agents of the state. That can create problems for a case. And under their task force standards, they can't partner with citizen-led groups for a number of reasons.' PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Arrest made after citizen group brings attention to police 'My advice to these kind of vigilante groups is leave that sort of thing up to the police and let them do their investigation, then it would be much more likely to be upheld in court,' said criminal defense attorney Adam Woody. Both the Springfield Police Department and Greene County Sheriff's Office are members of the Cyber Crimes task force in Southwest Missouri. 'They cannot, under the standards of those organizations, work with a citizen group conducting its own investigation outside of law enforcement,' Patterson said. 'It's prohibited by their standards.' Patterson says the best approach to these cases is to support local law enforcement. 'So that we both protect convictions, due process, and the integrity of the criminal justice system,' Patterson said. Under Missouri law, there's a statute that says the 'bait' must be an actual minor or a police officer. 'When the statute was originally written, it had some language about it not being an offense that a police officer was posing as an underage person,' Patterson said. 'As the law evolved, the Supreme Court basically said this is a poorly written statute and they kind of unwrote that part of the statute.' Ozark County Jail enters into contract with ICE 'If the state were to try to pursue actual enticement of a child charges with a vigilante group as the victim, that's not something that would that would pass muster,' Woody said. 'That would be dismissed relatively quickly because it's contrary to the statute.' While that's still part of the statute, it has changed to include an attempt at the crime. 'If the person believes they're communicating with an underage person and they take a substantial step to committing whatever crime it is, then it could be prosecuted,' Patterson said. 'Again, the key is the integrity of the investigation.' Woody explained the circumstances further. 'Even if the other person is not an actual minor or a police officer masquerading as a minor, prosecutors can still proceed under an attempt provision for the person making an attempt to commit the offense,' Woody said. It was through this statute that 29-year-old Michael Rupe of Lebanon was arrested and now charged. Court records show a local civilian group was able to provide evidence to Lebanon Police of Rupe messaging who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. 'I'd encourage any citizen, if you believe there's a child who's being enticed or aware of an offender who's using the internet in that manner to make a tip to the Springfield Police Department, the sheriff's office or the task force on Internet Crimes Against Children,' Patterson said. Patterson says none of these civilian-led cases have come across his desk. 'I know that some reports have been made to the Springfield Police Department,' Patterson said. 'We've not received any of those for investigation.' Citizens can file a report with the MoICAC task force online. 'We have to provide due process to the defendant and convict them in a courtroom, not in a Facebook video,' Patterson said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Yahoo
Arrest made after citizen group brings attention to police
LEBANON, Mo. – A Lebanon man was arrested today for attempted enticement of a child. The arrest comes after a citizen group brought attention to the police. This case has stirred up controversy online. Residents in Laclede County are voicing their concerns after a Facebook post from the Lebanon Police Department addressed the actions of what they call a quote 'civilian vigilante group.' Today we are hearing from the online group 'Operation Soap', which is dedicated to catching child predators. A representative with the group says the post was directed at them 'The Lebanon Police Department spoke out against us and called us a 'vigilante group', which I don't entirely agree with. I prefer, investigative journalists,' says the Operation Soap representative, who chose to remain anonymous. This weekend the Lebanon Police Department posted to Facebook addressing the actions of a quote 'vigilante group' who they say publically outed an individual. The post assured the public that the department is aware of the situation and their cyber crimes task force is investigating thoroughly.'The actions of the suspect were suspicious and, in the eyes of the public, ultimately wrong. However, such behavior by vigilante civilians is dangerous and undermines the legal process,' says the LPD. After this post multiple people that live or lived in Laclede County sent Ozarks First statements over social media. 'To turn a blind eye to all the evidence Operation Soap has on the individual in question because LPD feels undermined by them is unethical & goes to show our local law enforcement is more concerned with their pride than the protection of our children,' says on Laclede County resident. 'The only time they do their job is when it's easy,' says another. The person being accused of child enticement by Operation Soap was arrested by the LPD today, March 9th. 'The Social media trend of 'predator catching' has a noble intent and Lebanon police always appreciate citizen cooperation, however; activist groups may be jeopardizing criminal cases by not reporting them immediately to the police,' the Lebanon Police Chief said in a statement. According to Missouri law cases like these can only be prosecuted if the victim is either an actual child or a law enforcement officer posing as a child. Operation Soap says the group is in contact with law enforcement for days or weeks before they make any moves. 'We send them over the evidence and everything that we have prior to us being there. That way it gives the prosecutor plenty of time to go over the evidence, make sure everything's legally within all the guidelines.' LPD's statement announcing the arrest of a 29-year-old man also said they have to operate under specific rules so the evidence can be used in court. 'The children of our communities are the whole future, of our area and our whole country. They are completely defenseless when it comes to child predators,' says Operation Soap. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
