‘To Catch a Predator’ Plot Gone Wrong: College Students Arrested for Kidnapping Attempt
Six students from Assumption University in Massachusetts have been charged with kidnapping and conspiracy after allegedly luring an active-duty military service member to their campus using a dating app, inspired by the “To Catch a Predator” trend on TikTok.
The students—Kelsy Brainard, Easton Randall, Kevin Carroll, Isabella Trudeau, Joaquin Smith, and a minor—are accused of using Brainard’s Tinder account to invite the 22-year-old serviceman to the university. Once on campus, the victim was ambushed, falsely accused of seeking to engage with minors, and physically assaulted by a group of students. The serviceman managed to escape and reported the incident to the police.
Investigations revealed that the students’ claims were fabricated. Surveillance footage and cellphone videos showed that the event was a staged attack without any evidence supporting the allegations against the victim.
The accused students face various charges, including conspiracy, kidnapping, and assault. Brainard has an additional charge of witness intimidation, and Carroll faces a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. All have pleaded not guilty, with a pre-trial conference scheduled for March 28.