"I told them pacifically... that thank God... that y'all was the cops. Because I woulda been callin' the cops." ―One of John Hunter's nonsense statements. John Wesley Hunter is a predator caught in a Polk County, Florida investigation of Takedown with Chris Hansen. He is notable for his various excuses that make no sense.  At the time of the sting, Hunter lived in Davenport, Florida and worked for Budget Auto Parts as a mechanic and a contractor for the Polk County Sheriff's Office to fix it's cars. He was also a self-proclaimed "traveling cowboy."  Hunter answered an ad for "family fun" and talked with a decoy posing as a mom to a fourteen-year-old girl. The decoy was run by the Polk County Sheriff's Office as a part of its Operation Cyber Guardian II. Hunter asked the decoy how old her daughter was, to which the decoy said that her daughter was fourteen and "loves family time" (a euphemism for incestual sex). Hunter replied, "That's awesome." Hunter expressed that he might want to have sex with the both of them but asked the mother if she would be willing to be naked while she watched him rape her daughter. Hunter arrived at the hotel used for the sting. Police entered the hallway and pointed a gun at him for several seconds.  He was taken to the police station and attempted to hide his face from the cameras. That is until Chris walked in the interview room with an entire camera crew. Hunter protested, saying that he "ain't doin no cameras." Sponsored by: TruthFinder.com. To get the answers you’re looking for about the new people in your life, and to discover information on potential predators, go to www.TruthFinder.com/predators  OneSkin daily face moisturizer: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code HANSEN at https://www.oneskin.co/HANSEN #oneskinpod  Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty  Get your official Chris Hansen merchandise at https://haveaseat.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Chris Hansen has a seat with famed defense attorney Mark Geragos to discuss the latest and headline grabbing cases everyone is talking about.  Criminal defense attorney and managing partner of the law firm Geragos & Geragos, Mark Geragos solidified his place in mainstream media and high-profile criminal cases while representing notable clients such as Winona Ryder, Michael Jackson, Scott Peterson, Chris Brown, Colin Kaepernick, the Menendez Brothers, and Jussie Smollett.  Hansen & Geragos dive into the new Epstein releases, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs' sentence and life in prison, updates on the Menendez brothers Lyle and Erik, the indictments of Leticia James and former FBI Director, James Coney, and discuss theories on missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard out of Santa Barbara, California.  This episode is sponsored by: Dupe: Go to https://Dupe.com today and make your holiday shopping so much easier. It’s 100% free to use. Stop overspending on gifts and start saving big this holiday season with Dupe.com. Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nelson Louis — The Hotel Key Sting Chris breaks down the case of Nelson Louis, a Tampa man who showed up at a Polk County hotel after negotiating with someone he believed was a foster mother selling her fifteen-year-old daughter. Despite knowing the girl’s age and fearing a setup, Louis handed the decoy $100 in the lobby and accepted the key to the room—where deputies immediately arrested him.  In the interview, Louis backpedals with confusion and shifting stories, but Chris cuts through every excuse, exposing a man who walked straight into the sting he claimed to fear. Sponsored by: TruthFinder.com. To get the answers you’re looking for about the new people in your life, and to discover information on potential predators, go to www.TruthFinder.com/predators Get your official Chris Hansen merchandise at https://haveaseat.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s Have a Seat with Chris Hansen, victim-turned advocate and YouTuber “Schlep” joins Chris to update him and viewers on his continued fight for increased security measures on the Roblox platform. Schlep reveals that he’s learned of more predators on the gaming platform, and that more victims have come forward to report criminal activity. The two also dive into Attorney Generals that are filing lawsuits against Roblox for crimes against children, that a high-ranking Roblox executive reached out to Schlep behind his attorney’s backs, and reveal and question why the CEO of Roblox blocked Schlep on X/Twitter! Roblox, the on-line virtual universe played by millions around the world, has been at the center of criticism of what some consider their lax security measures surrounding potential child predators in and off the game. Both Hansen and Schlep are at the forefront of raising awareness of the widely-popular game that could have your children vulnerable to predators. If you are one of the millions of people that have been following this story, it’s an episode of Have a Seat with Chris Hansen you won’t want to miss. Photos, video and images provided by: YouTube.com/@RealSchlep This episode is brought to you by: Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty ExpressVPN: Go to https://expressvpn.com/CHRISHANSEN and find out how you can get up to 4 extra months thanks to our sponsor, ExpressVPN! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris delves into the case of Matthew Klein, a 43-year-old caught attempting to meet underage boys online. Using his expertise, Chris explores the troubling excuses predators, like Klein, give, such as loneliness and personal struggles. The episode uncovers Klein’s dual life as a law firm receptionist and Uber driver, questioning his motivations and the potential harm he posed. Chris also discusses legal charges, including Klein’s failure to disclose HIV status, and reflects on the influences behind his crime-fighting career. The episode concludes with audience interactions and Hansen’s personal anecdotes.  Sponsored by:  TruthFinder.com. To get the answers you’re looking for about the new people in your life, and to discover information on potential predators, go to www.TruthFinder.com/predators Home Title Lock: Go tohttps://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty   Go to https://expressvpn.com/CHRISHANSEN and find out how you can get up to 4 extra months thanks to our sponsor, ExpressVPN! Dupe: Go to Dupe.com today and make your holiday shopping so much easier. It’s 100% free to use. Stop overspending on gifts and start saving big this holiday season with Dupe.com Get your official Chris Hansen merchandise at https://haveaseat.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Have a Seat with Chris Hansen, Chris is joined by Renée Williams, the CEO of the National Center for Victims of Crime, an organization dedicated to serving individuals, families, and communities harmed by crime. The two discuss the importance of the Center’s work as well as with victims of high profile cases such as Jeffrey Epstein and Bill Cosby. Williams explains how to navigate the media in the wake of tragedy and the vital resources available to all victims through the National Center for Victims of Crime. victimsofcrime.org Donate now to the National Center for Victims of Crime This episode is brought to you by: Dupe: Stop wasting money on brand names and start saving with https://Dupe.com today! Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this jaw-dropping episode of Predators I’ve Caught with Chris Hansen, a Monroe, Michigan sting takes an unexpected twist when two predators from the same neighborhood arrive at the decoy house within hours of each other. One of them, 53-year-old Jerry Daniel Hetherington, stands out for all the wrong reasons. Claiming he was going to “make a glory hole” for himself and the decoy, Jerry’s bizarre story quickly unravels under Chris’ questioning.  Nervous and fidgety, Jerry insists he was only there to “meet Travis,” a fourteen-year-old boy he’d contacted online. When Hansen presses him, Jerry panics and bolts—only to be violently tackled by the V.I.P.E.R. task force. What follows is a surreal mix of self-pity, back-pain complaints, and hollow apologies as Chris confronts the divorced father of two about his explicit chat logs and failed denials. It’s a classic example of the lengths predators will go to excuse the inexcusable—and the unrelenting calm with which Chris exposes the truth.  Sponsored by TruthFinder.com. To get the answers you’re looking for about the new people in your life, and to discover information on potential predators, go to www.TruthFinder.com/predators Get your official Chris Hansen merchandise at https://haveaseat.dashery.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this emotional, insightful and important episode, Chris Hansen has a seat with Joe Petito, father of Gabby Petito, the 22-year-old content creator who was killed by her fiancé while traveling the country. Petito shares what happened during the days Gabby was missing, to getting the unimaginable call that her body had been found. But through the darkness of tragically losing Gabby, Petito, along with his wife Tara, and Gabby’s mother Nichole Schmidt and husband Jim Schmidt, have created the Gabby Petito Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising awareness and educating first responders and law enforcement on domestic violence and missing persons cases. Just as Gabby touched the world, this episode will highlight the importance of mental health, how laws and protocols surrounding domestic violence calls are being changed, and how you can better talk to your family and children about domestic violence. Gabbypetitofoundation.org This episode is brought to you in part by: Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“That’s not my condom…they planted it on me!”  Willie Merrill, a registered sex offender, was caught in a Polk County, Florida sting on Takedown with Chris Hansen. After chatting with a decoy posing as a mother offering her fifteen-year-old foster daughter for sex, Merrill suspected it might be a setup—but came anyway. Arrested in his car outside the hotel, he argued with officers, demanded a lawyer, and claimed he was being harassed. During his tense interview with Chris, Merrill’s defiance boiled over, forcing deputies to push him back into his chair. Sponsored by TruthFinder.com. To get the answers you’re looking for about the new people in your life, and to discover information on potential predators, go to www.TruthFinder.com/predators Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Hansen continues his awareness and fight to keeping children safe on-line and has a seat with 30-year veteran cyber security expert Ben Gillenwater, AKA, The Family IT Guy. The two have an eye-opening discussion about what is really happening on platforms and games that are so-called ‘safe' for children, and vital tips for parents and adults on what they can do to protect children.  Gillenwater explains how social media apps and games like Roblox are at the core, revenue generating platforms that are designed to create engagement, or what he calls, addictions. Both Hansen & Gillenwater know your children are being targeted and attacked on-line, so what are you doing about it?  Check out this latest episode of Have a Seat with Chris Hansen to find out how you can be more vigilant and pro-active in your child’s on-line activities. www.familyitguy.com This episode is brought to you in part by Dupe: Stop wasting money on brand names and start saving with https://Dupe.com today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I can't keep doing this... or this will be my, this is just my life."  Samuel Dennis “Sam” Zoellner, a repeat offender with a history of targeting underage girls, was caught in a Polk County, Florida sting featured on Takedown with Chris Hansen. Using the screen name “Jack_Loud,” the 26-year-old initiated contact with a decoy posing as a fifteen-year-old girl and drove to meet her. As he arrived, speaking with the decoy on the phone and circling the sting location, detectives moved in—surrounding his vehicle and taking him into custody. Known for his striking appearance and disarmingly blunt honesty, Zoellner initially refused to speak, but Chris’s persistence led to a revealing and chilling interview inside the police trailer.  Sponsored by TruthFinder.com. To get the answers you’re looking for about the new people in your life, and to discover information on potential predators, go to www.TruthFinder.com/predators Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this weeks emotional episode, Chris Hansen has a seat with Stephen Federico, father of Logan Federico, a 22-year-old student from Waxhaw, North Carolina who was allegedly murdered by Alexander Dickey on May 23, 2025. Dickey, a habitual and repeat offender, with at least 39 arrests and 25 felonies on his record was free to walk the streets - the streets of Columbia, South Carolina where Logan was visiting friends when Dickey allegedly broke into her friends home and shot her in unprovoked cold blood. Stephen, the heartbroken beyond comprehension father, has now made it his fight and mission to ensure such career criminals like Dickey should never be allowed outside of prison cells to harm innocent people, not only in South Carolina, but throughout the country. It’s an episode of Have a Seat with Chris Hansen that will leave you devastated at the loss of Logan Federico, but also outraged at a system that may be culpable in her tragic death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Description: Adam Michael Duellman was caught in a Marquette County, Michigan investigation featured on Takedown with Chris Hansen. After contacting a decoy posing as a 15-year-old boy, Duellman’s chat quickly turned explicit, prompting Hansen’s team to rush to the sting house. With only hidden cameras in place, the crew captured Duellman arriving just minutes after leaving work—expecting to meet a teen, and instead coming face-to-face with Chris.  Sponsored by TruthFinder.com. To get the answers you’re looking for about the new people in your life, and to discover information on potential predators, go to www.TruthFinder.com/predators Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special episode of Have a Seat with Chris Hansen, Chris brings you his very important and topical session from CrimeCon Denver surrounding the head-line grabbing and controversial gaming platform Roblox. Roblox is an on-line virtual universe played by millions around the world, but there are also dangerous people lurking behind avatars that are wanting to harm to your children.  Hansen is joined by victim-turned advocate and YouTuber “Schlep”, attorney Steve Vanderporten and Marion County, Florida Sheriff’s Office Detective, Henrik Osthed.  If you have kids, or know someone who plays this game, it’s an episode you need to listen to or watch to be educated on what is really happening on this gaming platform; the revelations will shock you!    This episode is brought to you in part by Dupe: Stop wasting money on brand names and start saving with https://Dupe.com today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joshua Ralph "Josh" Cummins was caught in a Polk County, Florida sting on Takedown with Chris Hansen. Known for his unsettling phone call and desire to play “the nervous game,” the 28-year-old began chatting online with a decoy posing as a 14-year-old girl. He soon escalated, obtaining her number and talking for nearly an hour.  The following night, Josh texted that he was in her area, telling the decoy how to dress and showing up unannounced. She called his behavior “creepy.” Josh later admitted he was high and not thinking clearly, struggling even to find the trailer despite the decoy signaling him.  Boasting of a supposed “romance,” he was instead pulled over and aggressively ordered from his vehicle by police. When Chris confronted him, Josh—head hung low—called his actions “stupid” and denied ever chatting with a minor before. Sponsored by: Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty    And by TruthFinder.com. To get the answers you’re looking for about the new people in your life, and to discover information on potential predators, go to www.TruthFinder.com/predators . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Have a Seat, Chris Hansen is joined by Haywood “Woody” Talcove, CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions to talk the latest in fraud, scams and identity thefts putting you at risk to becoming a victim.  From government to COVID fraud; to DOGE and EBT scandals; to bad actors operating on the dark web stealing your identity and sleeper-cells and cyber-terrorism group operating on U.S. soil under our noses, this episode will catch you up to speed in the latest cons and illegal activity impacting society today.   This episode is brought to you in part by: Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wesley Phillip Beehn is a predator that was caught in the 2024 Genesee County, Michigan sting of TruBlu’s Takedown with Chris Hansen. Beehn is best known for repeatedly asking the decoy to call him "daddy" in the chatlog. When Beehn was confronted by Chris Hansen, Chris asked if he wanted him to call him "daddy" to which Wesley responded with "no." Chris called him it anyway.  After Beehn was arrested, Chris pointed out that Wesley reeked of marijuana. Sponsored by:  Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty And by TruthFinder.com.  To get the answers you’re looking for and to discover information on potential predators, go to www.TruthFinder.com/predators Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Hansen has a seat with documentary producer and director David Osit on his new film “Predators”, which dives into the cultural phenomenon of Dateline’s To Catch a Predator. Hansen and Osit discuss the series’ impact, the headline grabbing controversies, and how Hansen’s investigations into crimes against children have evolved over the years. If you’ve been a long-time viewer and fan of Chris Hansen’s, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.  This episode is brought to you in part by Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thomas Jerome Soetaert is a predator caught in a Marquette County, Michigan investigation of Takedown with Chris Hansen. He is notable for wanting to take the decoy into the middle of the woods to have sex with her.  At the time of the sting, Thomas lived in Skandia, Michigan. He previously had a live-in girlfriend, but the relationship failed. He also had two kids who lived with their mother.  Thomas began communicating with a decoy posing as a fifteen-year-old girl. Initially, he requested to meet the decoy in the middle of the woods so that the neighbors wouldn't see him, and he wanted to have sex with the minor "doggystyle" while there.  Thomas arrived at the sting house, "sex bag" in hand. The decoy asked him what was in the bag and Thomas responded, ominously, "oh, just something I never told you about that I like to do." It turned out to massage oil that he asked the decoy to smell. That’s when Chris stepped in and Thomas immediately admitted to Chris that he intended to have sex with the girl. Sponsored by:  Home Title Lock: Go to ⁠https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen⁠ and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit ⁠https://hometitlelock.com/warranty⁠ And by TruthFinder.com.  To get the answers you’re looking for and to discover information on potential predators, go to ⁠www.TruthFinder.com/predators ⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Hansen has a seat with Carly Yoost and Greg Schiller of the Child Rescue Coalition, a nonprofit organization that rescues children from sexual abuse by building technology for law enforcement, free of charge, to identify, arrest and prosecute child predators. This episode will leave audiences shocked and stunned at the amount of child sexually abusive material that is being shared and traded around the world, but will also learn there is hope to combat it with the help of the Child Rescue Coalition.  And hear what parents and society need to be aware of to keep your children safe on-line an. This is an episode you can’t afford to miss!  Www.Childrescuecoalition.org This episode is brought to you in part by Home Title Lock: Go to https://hometitlelock.com/chrishansen and use promo code HANSEN to get a FREE title history report and a FREE TRIAL of their Triple Lock Protection! For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices