Local group working to expose child predators online
By Abigail Roberts
STANFORD – Alberto C. Rodriguez, 25, thought he was driving to Stanford to meet three 14-year-old females – and provide them with drugs – but instead, he found himself in handcuffs.
A group called KyPredoPursuit has been working to expose child predators in Central Kentucky and Rodriguez is one of several people who have been arrested on felony charges after attempting to meet minors in the area.
Rodriguez allegedly messaged three 14-year-old female decoys with plans to meet them in Stanford, provide them with drugs and have “group activities.”
The KyPredoPursuit group video records their interactions with these alleged child predators and posts them on YouTube.
In June, Rodriguez was recorded as he arrived in Stanford to meet the minors but was met by a representative of KyPredoPursuit. In the video, Rodriguez admits that he thought he was meeting three minor females that he had been messaging and that he brought some “gummies” (marijuana) with him. He also said this was the first time he had attempted to meet with minors.
The Stanford Police Department responded to the scene and Rodriguez was arrested and charged with multiple felonies. He was lodged in the Pulaski County Detention Center.
A Lincoln County grand jury indicted Rodriguez on Aug. 8 on one count of criminal attempt to unlawful transaction with a minor.
The indictment states that on June 7 Rodriguez “knowingly and unlawfully attempted to induce, assist, or cause a minor under 16 years of age and knowing them to be such to engage in an illegal sexual activity.”
SPD Officer Michael Southerland testified for the Stanford Police Department. Rodriguez’s bond was set at $25,000.
Ronnie H. Sanders, 36, of Eastwood Drive in Stanford, found himself in a similar situation on May 23.
Sanders allegedly began messaging one of the group’s decoys and sent numerous photos and videos of his genitals to who he believed was a 14 year old girl.
Sanders attempted to meet the minor in Stanford but was met by the KyPredoPursuit group, as well as law enforcement.
He was indicted by a Lincoln County grand jury on Aug. 8 on one count of criminal attempt to unlawful transaction with a minor.
Officer Kaleb Phipps testified for the Stanford Police Department. Sanders’ bond was set at $10,000.
Exposing online child sexual exploitation
KyPredoPursuit was created in May 2025 and in that short time the group’s work has led to the arrest of 10 alleged child predators, who are now facing felony charges.
“Our mission, first and foremost, is the conviction of alleged online child predators and then the public exposure of them,” said a representative of the group. “We do everything we can to make sure the judicial system can secure convictions on the alleged predators that we help to catch, so we work in coordination with law enforcement agencies.”
State statute (KRS 510.155) makes this possible, he said.
“We are trying to shine a light on just how bad things have recently gotten with online child sexual exploitation,” he said.
The group does that by releasing the full interviews with alleged predators on their YouTube channel.
“We use Facebook and TikTok to advertise our YouTube channel and to share important information about other things happening that we are trying to make a difference with as well,” he said.
The group has also started a petition on change.org to update Kentucky’s law regarding the death penalty to include child sex crimes.
KyPredoPursuit has a team of adults who manage decoy accounts online.
“The alleged predators always message the decoy account first and when they do we always tell them very early on in the messages that we are underage,” he said.
There is no coercion or entrapment as the decoys never initiate a sexual conversation, he said.
“Sometimes it happens quickly and other times we end up having to play the role of a child who is being groomed and we talk to them for weeks or even months at a time before they are comfortable enough to believe we are real kids and then they start talking sexually to us at that point,” he said.
When the alleged predators come to meet the minors, they meet members of KyPredoPursuit instead, followed by law enforcement.
“We continue to do whatever is requested of us while they make their way through court in order to help get convictions on our cases,” he said. “We have only been operational since the beginning of May this year but we currently have 10 alleged child predators that have been arrested and are facing felony charges in Lincoln, Rockcastle, Garrard, and Madison Counties.”
Members of the group also work full time jobs but they hope to eventually make this endeavor a full time operation.
“Someday we are hoping to be able to do this full time and have many more people helping with our operations so we can make an even bigger difference,” he said. You can find the group’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@KyPredoPursuit
