EDP445 YouTuber Arrested in Las Vegas After Admitting Sex Sting Meeting

Disgraced YouTuber Bryant Moreland, also known as EDP445, was arrested in Las Vegas after admitting on camera to trying to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex during a 2021 sting operation. Moreland, 35, was taken into custody outside a Las Vegas dialysis clinic on Wednesday for child sex crimes related to an incident in Bakersfield, Calif.

Alleged Incident Leads to Charges

The arrest stems from an alleged incident on April 17, 2021, involving a child under 14, according to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. Moreland faces charges including attempting to commit lewd acts upon a child, contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, and distributing or showing pornography to a minor. The DA’s office stated that in 2021 and 2022, there were significant challenges in pursuing prosecution, particularly due to the lack of cooperation from the reporting parties. However, following Moreland’s interview in the documentary The Sick Mind of EDP445, the investigation was reopened. Following its review of the new evidence, the District Attorney’s Office determined that the evidentiary threshold for filing criminal charges had been met. He is expected to be extradited to California.

Sting Operation and on-Camera Confession

The incident began when Moreland was allegedly caught in an amateur sting operation by Alex Rosen, the founder of the Houston-based company “Predator Poachers.” Rosen posed as a decoy named “Sophie,” a 13-year-old girl, with whom Moreland engaged in sexual conversations. Moreland, who had five million subscribers at the peak of his YouTube career, admitted in a documentary interview with journalist Chris Hansen that he traveled to the apartment with the intention of trying to have sex with the teenager. When Hansen pointed out the behavior was predatory, Moreland replied, Right, I understand. He claimed he was very lonely and didn’t really have anybody to interact with.

told Hansen

Reopening of Investigation

The sting operation was thrust back into the public eye by the release of the documentary in August. Moreland’s candid admission, which prompted the investigation’s reopening, had been cautioned against by attorney Michael Pariente, who warned at the time that what he’s doing now by quite frankly doing this documentary, it’s just a stupid … idea. Pariente noted that Moreland’s participation was risky because the state statute of limitations had not run out. The YouTuber’s account was shut down after the 2021 sting, but he was never formally charged until now, following his on-camera confession. Moreland has not yet been arraigned or entered a plea on the charges.