Carlos Simon-Vega was charged with second-degree luring after an online predator-hunting group claimed he came to North Bergen to meet someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl.
NORTH BERGEN, N.J. — A viral video circulating online shows police arresting Carlos Simon-Vega, an armless man accused of coming to North Bergen to meet someone he allegedly believed was a 15-year-old girl.
Simon-Vega was charged with second-degree luring or enticing a child following the Oct. 5 encounter, according to New Jersey court records.
The alleged offense occurred at approximately 7 p.m.
Predator-Hunting Group Says It Set Up Sting
The footage was posted by EDPWatch, a self-described online predator-hunting group that said it arranged the meeting using an underage decoy.
In the video, a member of the group tells viewers they are in North Bergen with Simon-Vega and claims he came there to meet a 15-year-old girl.
The group’s allegations remain accusations. The criminal charge filed against Simon-Vega will have to be proven in court.
North Bergen Officer Filed Charge
Court records show North Bergen Police Officer Kiana Rosado filed the second-degree luring charge.
Under New Jersey law, luring or enticing a child can apply when someone attempts to lure a child, or a person they reasonably believe is a child, for the purpose of committing a criminal offense.
The North Bergen Police Department had not released a detailed public account of the arrest as of Tuesday.
Viral Video Drives Attention to Case
The arrest has spread rapidly online because of the unusual video and the involvement of a civilian predator-hunting group.
The footage shows Simon-Vega being searched and taken into custody while members of the group narrate the encounter.
Police have not publicly released the underlying messages, full evidence or additional details about the alleged communications that preceded the meeting.
Simon-Vega is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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