Messages posted on Facebook of conversations allegedly between a Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools employee and someone he thought was a 14-year-old boy. (South Island Predator Publishing photo)

Messages posted on Facebook of conversations allegedly between a Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools employee and someone he thought was a 14-year-old boy. (South Island Predator Publishing photo)

Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district employee on leave following creep-catcher sting

SD68 says it is looking into incident

A Nanaimo-Ladysmith school district employee is on leave after being caught allegedly trying to meet someone he thought was a 14-year-old, but who ended up being a member of a predator-shaming Facebook group.

Screenshots of text messages and a video of the meet-up were posted to the South Island Predator Publishing Facebook group, where members lure alleged child predators to meet, then catch them on video and publicly out them on social media.

Justin Bruce, a founder of the group, posed as a 14-year-old boy on the dating app Grindr, and met up with a man near a coffee shop on Wallace Street on Saturday, March 18.

According to Bruce, he was able to identify the man – who he says is a high school teacher – through his dating profile on the app with the help of a research analyst and other community members.

“He chose to keep talking, so he entered my world,” said Bruce.

Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools confirmed the employee is on leave and that they are continuing to look into the matter. Nanaimo RCMP said it has been contacted by School District 68 as well as concerned community members.

READ ALSO: Head of Lantzville school fired for ‘inappropriate online activity’

READ ALSO: Man caught in child-luring sting in Nanaimo avoids jail time


bailey.seymour@nanaimobulletin.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

Breaking NewsRCMP

 

Messages posted on Facebook of conversations allegedly between a Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools employee and someone he thought was a 14-year-old boy. (South Island Predator Publishing photo)

Messages posted on Facebook of conversations allegedly between a Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools employee and someone he thought was a 14-year-old boy. (South Island Predator Publishing photo)