The YouTuber EDP445 is facing a slew of sex crimes charges in California, months after he made comments in an interview regarding allegations of soliciting sex from a minor.
The YouTuber, real name Bryant Moreland, was arrested Wednesday in Las Vegas.
He is charged with attempting to commit lewd acts upon a child, meeting a minor for lewd purposes, contacting a minor with intent to commit sexual offense, and distributing or showing pornography to a minor, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office said.
People were interested in these podcasts
Mr. Moreland had previously achieved Internet fame for profane ranting videos about his Philadelphia Eagles fandom and other subjects.
He is accused of attempting to meet up with a 13-year-old girl in Bakersfield, California, in 2021, an encounter that was part of one of two vigilante operations against him, according to KGET-TV.
In an interview with Chris Hansen of “To Catch A Predator” fame on Mr. Hansen’s “Have A Seat” podcast, Mr. Moreland talked about the allegations.
Mr. Moreland told Mr. Hansen that “I showed up to that location that day trying to obviously meet up with an underage girl. You know what I mean? And I guess you can say, I don’t know, trying to have sex.”
The podcast was included in the Hansen documentary “The Sick Mind of EDP445,” which the district attorney’s office cited as the reason it reopened the case.
The district attorney’s office said that initial attempts in 2021 and 2022 to charge and prosecute Mr. Moreland foundered due to the lack of cooperation from the reporting parties.
Mr. Moreland will be extradited back to Kern County from Las Vegas, at which point an arraignment will be scheduled.
The proceeds from the documentary are being donated to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, the film’s creator Mike Clum told KGET-TV. The group is among the largest anti-sexual violence organizations in the U.S.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.