A Yay Area college student was out here living “To Catch a Predator” in real life. Twenty-year-old Ethan posed as a teen girl using Snapchat’s gender-swapping filter to catch predators on Tinder and ended up catching a cop!
Ethan, acting as a 16-year-old girl named Esther, alleged that 40-year-old San Mateo Officer Robert Davies communicated with “Esther”, knowing that she was 16.
He tipped off police, who in turn arrested Davies last week for allegedly communicating with a minor with the intention of engaging in sexual activity, @cbsnews reports. Davies was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on the charges.
Police said that Ethan and the cop initially spoke on Tinder in early May, before they switched to Kik Messenger and then Snapchat. Police said that Davies acknowledged that he was speaking to a minor, continuing to chat on Snapchat about engaging in sexual activity.
Ethan’s tip to police as a “concerned citizen” was the result of a lengthy investigation and eventually, the arrest of Davies. Police said Ethan was able to research Davies after their conversations and determine his identity.
The San Mateo Police Department said that Davies was off duty in another county when he conversed with Ethan. Davies is currently on paid administrative leave.
“This alleged conduct, if true, is in no way a reflection of all that we stand for as a Department, and is an affront to the tenets of our department and our profession as a whole,” San Mateo Police Chief Susan Manheimer said in a statement. “As San Mateo police officers, we have sworn an oath to serve and protect our communities. I can assure you that we remain steadfast to this commitment to serving our community with ‘Professionalism, Integrity, and Excellence.’”
Roommates, what are your thoughts on this one? Let us know!
TSR STAFF: Christina C! @cdelafresh
