Aston Mack, a Black Lives Matter activist originally from Florida, was arrested this week after attempting to meet up with someone he believed was an underage girl, as part of a law enforcement online child safety operation.
The sting was carried out in partnership with police and investigative journalist Chris Hansen, best known for his work exposing online predators.
The arrest, which was captured on video, shows sheriff’s deputies executing the operation and detaining Mack after he allegedly attempted to flee the scene.
Hansen — formerly host of To Catch a Predator — filmed the encounter as part of his renewed collaboration with local agencies focused on child protection and online threat prevention.
Suspect Believed He Was Meeting a Minor, Authorities Say
According to Hansen, Mack had arranged to meet with a person he believed to be a minor. However, the “child” was actually a law enforcement decoy posing as part of the undercover investigation.
Authorities later arrested Mack at his residence. Video footage shows him in custody, asking deputies, “Can you grab my shoe?” as he was led away in handcuffs.
