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A lawman visits the ‘Predator’ house

Posted: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 2:01 PM by Dateline Editor
Filed Under: , , ,

by Chris Hansen, Dateline Correspondent

As our “To Catch a Predator” investigation in Flagler Beach, Florida continues, you’re going to see something we don’t experience very often. It’s hard to imagine, but we had an active duty member of law enforcement arrive at our hidden camera house after an extremely graphic online chat with a decoy posing as a 13-year-old girl for nearly a month.

We didn’t know it at the time but 41-year-old Todd Spikes was a police officer for the Florala, Alabama Police Department.

He drove more than 300 miles from his home in northern Florida to meet the girl he thought he was chatting with. For awhile we weren’t sure he was going to actually show up. He didn’t call or send an online message for hours.  Then he called the decoy to say he was in town. We scrambled into position just in time to see Flagler Beach police arrest him. As if it’s not scary enough that a lawman would engage in this sort of behavior, wait until you see what police found in his car. There was an arsenal including an assault rifle that was loaded and chambered next to the driver’s seat of Spikes’ SUV.

Before the night was over we’d find out a lot more about Spikes and what he had stashed in his car and hidden in his pocket. Spikes has pleaded not guilty and his lawyer has suggested he had the weapons as part of his job. He’s been fired from the Florala P.D.

Part 2 of 'To Catch a Predator' in Flagler Beach, Fla. airs Tuesday, 8 p.m. on NBC. Click here to read a transcript of the show and to watch the show online. 

Editor's note: Tomorrow, in another hidden camera investigation, Dateline demonstrates how people might react when they see a potential crime being committed. Watch some surprising and jaw-dropping moments that will show you how a criminal can steal your car, your priceless antique... and even your child... right in broad daylight. Read more about 'Wild Bill: Breaking and Entering.'

 

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Comments

I guess we are all humans after all. when we think of police, we think, secure, safe and definately stable minded. But this must be a sickness. some have depression, some have urges to kill and others have their own. but this could be a strong indication that our country has problems after all and needs to stop sending OUR tax dollars to foreign countries. that money could be used to help find out what drives people to do these things. hmm?

C J NewCarrollton,Maryland (Sent Wednesday, March 07, 2007 12:19 AM)

You could do these shows in Anytown, USA...I'm from Baker City, OR (about 10k pop) and KPTV did a similar thing with Perverted Justice (KPTV Ch 12 and PV are both based in Portland, OR, about 304 miles from here)and got 2 arrests from from HERE, and our local papers have at least one sex offender every 2 weeks arrested. Just goes to show that after you wipe out the big towns, you could always go to the small ones and still get them.

R. Adams, Baker, OR (Sent Wednesday, March 07, 2007 12:20 AM)

Out of all the postings that I’ve read, I find it strange that no one’s really questioning the root of this horrific problem. America hasn’t always been like this…we need to get to the root of the problem and fix it. We don’t have enough prisons to keep all the pervs even if we caught them. This sickness is an epidemic and the cure is cleaning up our filthy country. There are things legal in this country that are fueling the fire and until we decide that our children are more important than the sex industry, this will be an uphill, never ending battle.

K. Joyce, Milton Freewater, Oregon (Sent Wednesday, March 07, 2007 1:23 AM)

OK great you are catching many, many predators and maybe some are no longer using the Internet/Chat Room to find their prey...what are parents/guardians doing to keep their children from these chat rooms...my guess is that parents have the same opinion as the predator, i.e., it will never happen to me... Lots more education and controls are needed...we can not conquer this one city at a time...

Paul H. Carlsbad, CA (Sent Wednesday, March 07, 2007 1:26 AM)

Yes Chris, you are doing a great job. Now what I would like to know is this: When are you going to go after the other half of the problem? Of course I am talking about female predators. CJ from MD says: we are all human, I say women are people too.

G.Y. Portland, Oregon (Sent Wednesday, March 07, 2007 2:41 AM)

First of all, it is sad that we are making a "show" of all this. This is too serious to be looked as a show. That out of the way, I would like to point out to me it is evident that this is not a small isolated problem but quite wide spreaded one. Which then leads me to two thoughts: 1. Seems like we should start looking at pedophiles as mentally ill and try to treat them, most likely through therapy, rather then rely on law enforcement alone. Some people seems to think that those pedophiles should be locked up and the key thrown away, but I think the problem is just too big for this kind of simple solution 2. Maybe some of the people who show up on "Catch a Predetor" will actually not engage in sex. I'm saying this because, when I was 19 - 20 (I'm 24 now), I used to chat quite a bit and it has happened that I chatted with girls that are 14 - 15. Some times your are chatting with a bunch a people at the same time and you either miss the age part, or you just get too excited and your brain does not really compute that a 15 years old is just a kid. I'm thinking that some of those guys arrested on the show might have changed their mind after seeing the 14 years old and finally realizing that she is just a kid. Or maybe I'm just hopping. After all I never went to anyone's house and I would certainly not drive 300 miles to meet a 15 years old and those guys did ....

Vince (Sent Wednesday, March 07, 2007 2:43 AM)

Yes Chris, you are doing a great job. Now what I would like to know is this: When are you going to go after the other half of the problem? Of course I am talking about female predators. CJ from MD says: we are all human, I say women are people too.

G.Y. Portland, Oregon (Sent Wednesday, March 07, 2007 2:52 AM)

Chris, This show was just unbelievable. I was truly shocked. But what I was more shocked about and probably more upset about was the minors who are online making contact with these nutcases. WHERE ARE THE PARENTS! Though these wierdos need to be taken off the street, I believe the parents should be put on the hook. I would love nothing more thatn to answer an invitation by a minor to have sex and when I show up ask where are your parent's and do they know what you are doing? Perhaps your next investigation should be setting up a sting where you bust the minors making the solicitation. Film the whole encounter and show it to their parents and ask them to explain. The minors share some of the blame as well.

Mark Nelson, Phoenix, AZ (Sent Wednesday, March 14, 2007 5:12 PM)

Chris, I think that it is great that you and the police are nabbing these perverts, but at the same time I always grimace when I see the police "take down" the men that show up. I must admit that if I were a parent and someone were to try to 'come on' to my child, in a sexual way, I would probably lose control of myself. That said, I think that as "professionals," the involved police need not THROW the men on the ground when it is blatantly obvious that they are not going to resist their restraint. As law enforcement officers, I know that they must be cautious but when the police outnumber the offenders 5 to 1, the amount of force that is used sometimes seems severe. Two wrongs don't make a right, correct?

Stefan Ong, Jackson, MI (Sent Saturday, June 23, 2007 12:09 AM)

Dear Chris,
I love your program! These men need to be locked up for good!  I watch your program every week. Keep up the good work!

                    Sincerly,
                               Michelle Walker

michelle walker madison, wi. (Sent Sunday, June 24, 2007 1:37 AM)

Hey!!! I think I might have a guy that needs to be on the show! Is there any possible way to get him on the show? Thanks!!!

Abbey, Oxford, AL. (Sent Thursday, August 09, 2007 3:24 PM)

I've been watching to catch a preator for 3yrs now and I gotta say I'm never suprised.This world we live in is very troubled. When I was 13 we did'nt have internet so we did'nt have to worry about online predators.But today children have a lot to look out for and that's awful!! I think child predators should be treated like murderers insted of a couple of years in jail thay should give them life in prison because when the predator gets out of jail he go's on with his or her life while the child spends the rest of there life scard. So hats off to you Chris Hanson your my hero keep up the good work and GOD BLESS YOU!!

Dirk Albright kendallville, Ind (Sent Wednesday, August 15, 2007 4:29 PM)

I am a former police officer, now corrections officer. I am glad to see that you, and your people have decided to do something about this growing problem in our country.  Good job and keep it up.

Brian Jones Libby, Mt. (Sent Tuesday, August 21, 2007 10:18 AM)

I was watching ABC's response to Dateline and was so angry. I think that since Murphy, Texas released all of the predators caught in the sting, that we should send all of the predators there ,whenever and where ever they are caught. I am so glad that Dateline does these shows. I love to see these perverts being caught and kknowing that some kids are being safe because of this show. Keep it up!

Margie F. Auburn, Washington (Sent Saturday, September 08, 2007 2:08 AM)

Has  any one noticed that the  sickest most vile guys are up  standing  white guys ...  pedophiles -- serial killers etc.  Yet we lock  up the $200 crack  dealer and the shoplifters and  weed smokers Oh,  yes our jails are housing pot  mokers (not dealers) and other  monr crimes to the tune of  $32,000 per year  per inmate.  and  what about the women  who  killed their husbands or  boyfriends  after  years of  abuse. What is wromg  with this picture?

Please come to Michigan!!!

Pam Martin, Grand Rapids Michigan (Sent Friday, September 14, 2007 6:41 PM)

These men and women need help.  It is a sickness. I never thought it could happen to someone in our family.  Sad to say, the FBI was involved so it makes it federal.  He has been in jail since June 2007.  Had his sentencing Dec. 11. He will serve 10 years.  He has lost everything.  His job of 27 years, his house, and before it's all over probably his wife.  They spent over 50,000 in court cost. Our family is just sick over this whole thing.  They don't realize their little secret chatting, cyber sex can effect ALOT of family members.  It's all fun and games until they get caught.  IT'S NOT WORTH IT!!  No matter how embarressing it might be, talk to someone... GET HELP before it happens to you.  

dh, oklahoma city (Sent Tuesday, January 01, 2008 11:00 PM)

  It's, almost, humorous, how a veteran law enforcement officer can be so stupid. As a cop, not only does he know it's illegal, what he did, but, as a cop he snould've, also, known what kind of stings exist, to catch online predators.
  It was, of, even greater, stupidity to try it, in a different region, far from home, he was unfamiliar with.
  If Dateline had been in Florala, Alabama or DeFuniak Springs, Florida he would've known about it, or, should I say, "tipped off".
  Does a police officer, really, need more weapons than his hands can hold, at one time?
  I wonder what would've happened, had, that one, been real, a thirteen year old girl, living with her, single, mom, alone, for the night, and she invites him in with a live weapon in his pocket.
  Also, is it likely, for a grown woman, raising a teenage daughter, by herself, to date a man, her daughter met, online? In most cases, I would expect a single mom, working hard, to raise her daughter, to be, more, responsible, than that.
  I would, also, expect, a forty one year old man, who, actively, works, as a police officer to know that.
  Especially, since he, did, mention, how popular "sour cops" are in prison, it raises the level of stupidity, even, higher.

Mark, FL (Sent Wednesday, January 09, 2008 2:51 PM)

This show is very good in helping people aware of the risky behavior that people engage in. But is it going to stop people in engaging in this risky behavior? Maybe not cause there are many mentally disturbed people in this planet and then there are immigrants who do not know anything about "age of Consent" and they never watch "CABLE- msnbc". GOD BLESS AMERICA!!

prodebate, Colorado Springs, CO (Sent Thursday, March 20, 2008 12:33 AM)

I think Chris Hansen is doing a fabulous job w/these series.  A suggestion; these series should be shown to these 13-15 year-olds so that they can see this is for REAL.  KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK CHRIS!!!

Nancy Barksdale, Santa Monica, CA

Nancy Barksdale, Santa Monica, CA (Sent Sunday, March 23, 2008 2:57 PM)

Dear Chris, Thank-you for doing such a great job with this series.It is just classic when you walk out and ask them what is going on here and continue to ask very valid questions with the chat script as evidence against their lies.If you wanted to,you could be a lot meaner about it and they deserve every bit and more.I like to watch them squirm as the realization of what they have done starts to sink in.It is very entertaining even though repulsive at the same time.I especially like when they can`t take any more of your questions and start to leave thinking they can make this self-created bad nightmare disappear and be on their merry way just to be startled by the awaiting sheriff`s dept.Do they really assume they can just walk away?The only thing they are sorry for is being caught.They never express concern for the children or what could have happened to them if you weren`t there.They all say they weren`t going to do anything.The distances they travel are utterly ludicrous.Chris you are the greatest.Please keep catching them with your smooth,knowledgeable professionalism.You should win a journalistic or humanitarian award.I know you are busy but I would enjoy reading any reply you might send.Take Care Buddy.With great admiration,Gary Coladonato,Ardmore,PA.

Gary Coladonato,Ardmore,Pa. (Sent Saturday, May 17, 2008 7:30 PM)

I would like to buy the dvd "To catch a predator" can you please give me information on how i can buy it.  

Robert Soto, Laredo, Texas (Sent Tuesday, June 24, 2008 11:48 AM)



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