Smiths Grove man released on $2,500 bond after allegedly soliciting minor

WARREN COUNTY, Ky.- A Warren County man was arrested and released on bond after he was tracked down by a group of influencers, tracking child predators.

“No matter how many people are catching predators, there’s always going to be more than enough to catch,” said Alex Rosen, the head of the Predator Poachers group. the group works to identify child predators.

“We gather evidence then we go approach them in person and have them admit to these crimes plus other crimes. And then we turn everything into law enforcement,” Rosen said.

Rosen said earlier this year he got a tip about a man in Warren County, who was later identified as the alleged child predator, Joshua Peterson of Smiths Grove.

“Earlier this year, this account reached out to us under the assumption that we are a 13-year-old girl. After interactions with him we found out that he was Joshua Peterson of Smiths Grove, Kentucky,” he said.

He also said the behavior, images received and language that Peterson allegedly presented drew major red flags.

Rosen then went on to send the Warren County Sheriff’s Office the tip of who Peterson is and what he has done.

“Obviously very concerning, so we called the cops and the cops saw the evidence we had. Saw some of our video footage and then went to go talk to him themselves and they ended up arresting for one charge of what I hope is many to come,” Rosen explained.

Peterson was arrested and charged with procuring or promoting the use of a minor by electronic means and released from the Warren County Regional Jail on a $2,500 bond Thursday.

“We’ve been in Kentucky the past couple of weeks you know just in and out and that is the lowest bond that anybody has got that we caught in Kentucky by far,” he said.

According to Norton Children’s, Kentucky is ranked 5th highest in the nation for child abuse. The Kentucky Youth Advocates data reveals that sexual abuse is the 4th highest of abuse in the Bluegrass State. 

The Predator Poachers team said they will keep pushing to find the alleged predators and work to put them behind bars. “It’s important we do what we do is because we have over 370 convictions nationwide. Arrests in all 50 states,” Rosen said.

The Kentucky State Police is currently investigating this case. Peterson will be back in court in September.

If you suspect an alleged child predator, you are urged to contact your local law enforcement immediately.