A Miami man was arrested after police said he went to a home to have sex with who he thought was a 15-year-old boy but instead encountered a "vigilante style" operation by online streamers targeting child predators.
Moises A. Flores-Coello, 24, was arrested Wednesday night on charges of traveling to meet a minor for sex, Miami-Dade Police officials said.
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According to police, Flores-Coello had interacted with someone posing as a 15-year-old boy on a chatting app.
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After just a day of chatting, Flores-Coello asked the person for an address where they could meet in person, police said.
Flores-Coello arrived and met with a male who he believed was the teen, and started making attempts to cuddle, kiss and touch the male, police said.
According to police, the encounter was a "vigilante style" operation that was being conducted by individuals, including some popular online streamers, to "catch child predators."
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The organizers contacted police, who responded and interviewed Flores-Coello, who admitted what his intentions were with the individual he believed was a minor, police said.
When police searched him, Flores-Coello had candy and a condom, an arrest report said.
Flores-Coello was booked into jail. Attorney information wasn't available.
NBC6 went by Flores-Coello's home and a man who answered the door said they have no comment.
Police said they weren't working with the group running the operation and don't encourage what the group did. They said anyone who wants to help should let the professionals do it and call 911.
"Your intentions may be good, you may believe that you're helping law enforcement or you're helping your community by taking someone off the street but you may be ruining an investigation and helping this person who you are trying to put in jail walk free," Miami-Dade Police Det. Andre Martin said.
