10 Most Dramatic Moments From To Catch a Predator

Top-10-Most-Dramatic-Confrontations-on-To-Catch-a-Predator

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most intense run-ins with Chris Hansen on “To Catch a Predator” or “Crime Watch Daily.”

#10: Brian Gosselin ("bayj0nes")

This 32-year-old was one of the many troubled – yet gullible – individuals who fell right into “Dateline’s” trap. Despite claiming he knew it was a setup the moment he saw Chris Hansen, Gosselin was still brazen enough to show up and pursue sex with a girl he thought was 15. His chat with the decoy was lewd, bizarre, and often passive-aggressive. During the investigation, he tersely remarked that he "wasn't wanted here" before indignantly storming off. Gosselin’s standout moment came when Hansen asked him about his last name, to which he responded, "I don’t have a last name." Well, that’s convenient.

#9: Michael Joseph Patterson ("jon_raven2000")

This quote-unquote “lonely” Indiana native claimed to be a detective lieutenant, but as it turned out, there was more to his story. Shortly after starting an online chat with what he thought was a thirteen-year-old girl, Patterson drove over five hours to the sting house in Bowling Green, Kentucky. In addition to claiming he was an officer, he had told the decoy that he always carried a gun, which understandably raised concerns for the investigative team. Upon arrival, decoy Casey was directed to make Patterson prove he wasn’t armed, but not wanting to take any chances, the police tased him during his arrest. As it turns out, Patterson had been a reserve cop – but had been dismissed.

#8: Michael Wilusz ("Genericwhitemale")

The Fort Myers investigation sure attracted some colorful characters, but perhaps none more so than this cookie-loving 49-year-old. After chatting with a Perverted Justice decoy for more than a week, Wilusz decided he wanted to book a hotel room with 15-year-old “Jolanda.” He arrived at the sting house in high spirits, munching on cookies and barely looking fazed by Chris Hansen. That is, until Hansen let Wilusz know he had the transcript of his illicit chat. From there, Wilusz spitefully flung his cookie and rushed out the door, tripping down the stairs in the process. Yeah, and the sucker never made it to the beach either.

#7: Maurice Wolin ("talldreamy_doc")

Even on “To Catch a Predator,” it’s rare that we see such a spectacular fall from grace. And we’re not just talking about this guy’s margarita or sunglasses. Prior to being caught in the Petaluma, California investigation, Wolin was a respected physician and cancer researcher with a wife and two daughters. When he showed up at the sting house, he spilled a blended drink all over the bar. While looking for a towel, he spotted the “Dateline” camera crew and bolted for the exit. But police caught up with Wolin, prompting him to throw his sunglasses to the ground in frustration. Needless to say, Wolin’s appearance in the episode didn’t do his career any favors.

#6: Rabbi David Kaye ("REDBD")

Because Kaye was a well-respected religious leader, his case is particularly disturbing. During the second TCAP sting, which took place in Fairfax, Virginia, the rabbi was busted for coming to meet what he thought was a teenage boy. He discovered the decoy while, in his own words, “prowling for young men” on the internet. Chris Hansen seemed rightfully disgusted with the middle-aged man, whose job as a rabbi was to maintain the trust of people in his community. As soon as the cameras came out, Kaye leapt to his feet and demanded they stop filming. He proceeded to try to sue “Dateline” and left several threatening messages to the crew (not that they were really intimidated).

#5: John Michael Dupee

TCAP’s spin-off series on “Crime Watch Daily” may have aired nearly a decade after the original investigations, but “Hansen vs. Predator” proved the epidemic was far from over. A former UPS package handler, Dupee juggled conversations with not one but two decoys, using cringeworthy nicknames like “boo” and “baby” throughout. He had his unsuspecting sister drop him off at the sting house in Fairfield, Connecticut, where he brought the actress Cheetos, Snapple, and dark chocolate. An exceedingly awkward confrontation with Chris Hansen followed (but not before Dupee could request a hug from the decoy). Due to this heinous behavior, Dupee ended up serving several years in prison.

#4: Walter Babst ("kinky_man_in_corona")

Every once in a while, we meet a potential predator whose occupation makes us especially uncomfortable. In this case, it’s Walter Babst (or “John Hunter,” an alias), who was in fact a high school teacher before being caught in the TCAP web. His chat with Perverted Justice was extra graphic, specifically referencing sex acts and his allegedly impressive genital size. When Hansen appeared, Babst oscillated between proclaiming his innocence and begging to be arrested on the spot. Amazingly, he went back to teaching only a few days after the investigation, though it didn’t take long for the school to find out what Babst had been up to (besides getting his ass kicked).

#3: Lorne Armstrong ("Lorne_a_20014")

The final Dateline sting saw one of the longest chat logs in TCAP history. Across 407 sickening pages, Armstrong solicited, manipulated, and declared his love for a thirteen-year-old decoy named Kayla; he also exposed himself to the decoy via webcam and requested she delete all evidence of their communication. On Armstrong’s thirty-seventh birthday, he opted to celebrate with the teenage Kayla, whom he seemed utterly delighted to meet. His encounter with Chris Hansen was filled with nervous laughter and a clumsy attempt to blame his actions on a past catfishing experience. Ten years after his arrest, Armstrong tried to capitalize on his infamy by starting a YouTube channel…which went about as well as his attempt to meet the decoy. Many happy returns, Lorne.

#2: Todd Spikes ("luvs2eaturpeach")

Interestingly, Spikes never actually came face to face with Chris Hansen at the Flagler Beach sting house. But perhaps that was for the best. A police officer himself, Spikes carried on a detailed conversation with a girl he believed to be thirteen-year-old Lindsay. In addition to mentioning grotesque sexual acts, he proposed moving in with the girl and becoming her mother’s boyfriend, so that he might “share” them. Amazingly, it got even more terrifying when police searched Spikes’ car; they found numerous firearms, about eight hundred rounds of ammunition, and what appeared to be a body dump kit. We shudder to imagine what might have happened if Spikes hadn’t been caught.

#1: Clifford Wallach ("FOTOPHIX")

As depraved as it is to solicit sex from a minor, bringing your child along adds an entirely new level of sociopathy. And to everyone’s shock (even Chris Hansen’s), that’s exactly what Wallach did during the investigation in Fort Myers, Florida. The final visitor of the day, Wallach horrified all involved when he exited his SUV with his five-year-old child in tow. Knowing immediately this was a unique situation, the team sent Hansen out right away to tell Wallach what was happening. Wallach was promptly arrested, and the little boy separated from him by police. According to Wallach, his wife led him to pursue sex with a teenage boy due to a lack of intimacy in their marriage. Nice job, Father of the Year.

Did we miss any unforgettable TCAP encounters? Why don’t you take a seat and we’ll talk about it in the comments.