YouTuber Bryant Moreland, known online as EDP445, has been arrested in Las Vegas and charged with four felonies following renewed scrutiny of an alleged 2021 attempt to meet a 13 year old girl.
The arrest follows an investigation into an alleged 2021 incident in Bakersfield, California, where Moreland reportedly attempted to arrange a sexual encounter with someone he believed was a 13 year old girl. The meeting was part of an online sting operation organized by YouTubers.
According to court records, Moreland faces charges of attempted lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, meeting a minor for lewd purposes, contacting a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense and sending content intended to seduce a minor.
The case gained renewed attention following the release of the documentary The Sick Mind of EDP445.
It featured an interview with Chris Hansen, known for his work on To Catch a Predator, in which Moreland acknowledged that he had gone to the meeting location intending to meet an underage girl.
Kern County prosecutors said the original investigation stalled in 2021 because reporting parties did not cooperate.
After reviewing Moreland’s documentary statements and other evidence, the district attorney’s office determined there was sufficient evidence to file criminal charges.
Hansen subsequently said Moreland’s admissions during their August interview helped prosecutors obtain an arrest warrant.
The arrest took place Wednesday in Las Vegas with assistance from local police. The Kern County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that Moreland would be transported to California.
SOURCES:
TMZ
17 News (KGET)
