KTS Predator Hunters has assisted the Pike County Sheriff’s Office in arrest of a man attempting to solicit children online. A Facebook post made by KTS Predator Hunters yesterday alerted law enforcement to a suspect private messaging of a suspected child through social media. KTS Predator Hunters, LLC is an investigative group that pose as underage children and attempt to identify adults that attempt to solicit children through the use of the internet. They often work with law enforcement by capturing videos of confrontations of alleged suspects or by turning over messages in order to secure arrests and convictions of suspected child predators.
Upon receipt of the messages from KTS Predator Hunters, the Pike County Sheriff’s Department located and arrested 37 year old James Chestnutt at his residence in Nebo. Chestnutt had been on mandatory supervised released from the Illinois Department of Corrections since May 4th. Chestnutt had just completed a 4 year sentence in the Illinois River Correctional Facility for obstruction of justice for destroying evidence and aggravated battery of a peace officer from a June 30, 2016 sentence.
Chestnutt has been charged with indecent solicitation of a child, grooming, distributing explicit material to a minor, and a parole violation. The incident remains under investigation and more charges are likely according to Pike Count Sheriff David Greenwood.