Fillmore man, 27, arrested after child predator tracking group tip

Austen Stout

A catch-a-predator group reeled in a suspect in Greencastle this past weekend.

Through the efforts of Predator Catchers Inc., a child predator tracking group, a 27-year-old Putnam County man is facing charges of child solicitation and dissemination of matter harmful to minors following his arrest early Sunday morning on the city’s East Side.

Austen Bradley Stout, Fillmore, was arrested by Greencastle Police Sgt. Zach Rhine at the Speedway East gasoline station, 1157 Indianapolis Rd., after Stout reportedly responded to an online decoy -- a supposed 14-year-old girl -- in an account set up by the Indiana-based organization.

Lodged in the Putnam County Jail on a Level 4 (child solicitation) and Level 6 (dissemination of harmful matter) felonies, Stout is facing 2-14 years in prison if convicted of all charges. He appeared in court Monday afternoon and had not-guilty pleas entered on his behalf.

According to chat logs provided to police by the Predator Catchers, Stout believed the decoy “Maddie” was 14-year-old girl and had been chatting with her before agreeing to meet her at the gas station and have sex with her.

The decoy apparently contacted Stout via text message on an app known as MeetMe. During the course of communication, Stout sent explicit photos of his genitals to the victim and promised to provide marijuana, the probable cause affidavit filed in the case noted.

A number of persons involved with the Predator Catchers group descended upon the Speedway station about midnight, and once they confirmed Stout was there, contacted Greencastle City Police. Sgt. Rhine responded, along with Det. Sgt. Matt Huffman and Officers Justin Herd and Angela Taylor. When police arrived, Stout was seated on the sidewalk at the west side of the building with several Predator Catchers representatives in his presence.

Huffman, who interviewed the suspect after he was taken to GPD headquarters, advised that Stout had given a full confession of the events that transpired in the 12:15 a.m. incident. Stout was arrested without incident and was transported to the jail where he was booked in at 2:14 a.m.

A Predator Catchers spokesman told police the suspect turned over his cellphone to them and that they have videos, photos and chat logs connected with the incident that they are turning over to GPD.

According to its website, Predator Catchers claims responsibility for more than 500 exposures and more than 50 individuals being sentenced and currently serving time in prison. Multiple convictions have occurred in numerous counties across Indiana.