A 46-year-old Riverside County man was taken into custody late last week by a group of vigilante teens, one of whom sent nude photos of himself.
The Nov. 15 incident occurred at Nicholas Road Park in Temecula around 4:30 p.m., according to a Riverside County Sheriff’s Department news release.
Authorities tipped off to KTLA’s Shelby Nelson that the suspect, now identified as Homeland resident William Vandenbusch, was suspected of meeting minors at the park for “sexual purposes.” told the lawmakers.
“When officers arrived on scene, there were probably 20 other juveniles there,” said RCSD Sgt. Deidre Vickers told KTLA.
Many of the teens had their phones out and recorded the encounter, but officers detained the 46-year-old man while they waited for detectives to respond to the scene.
“The investigation revealed that Mr. Vandenbusch sent nude photos and agreed to meet minors for sexual purposes,” the release details.
William Vandenbusch, 46, of Homeland. (RCSD) Nicholas Road Park in Temecula taken on November 19, 2024. (KTLA)
The Homeland resident was arrested and is awaiting trial on charges of sending harmful substance to a minor, having contact with a minor for sexual purposes, and arranging to meet a minor for sexual purposes. He was booked into the Coybird Detention Center in Murrieta.
“It’s good for teenagers, but it’s scary at the same time,” said Faye Hawk, a Murrieta resident who frequently brings her children to the park.
Her mother, Tamlyn Jung, also from Murrieta, said she finds the situation alarming because of the risk of facing an alleged sexual predator.
“I’m a former teacher, so I think they would have liked to have done this, which is great, but I think the risks outweigh the benefits,” Jung said.
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Sergeant Vickers agreed, saying these situations are dangerous even for properly trained law enforcement.
“It’s dangerous, not just for children, but for anyone trying to conduct this type of vigilante investigation,” she explained. “You’re going to catch someone at their most vulnerable time. There’s no way to predict what they’re going to do or how they’re going to react.”
A sheriff’s office news release echoed Vickers’ comments, saying, “This action needlessly jeopardized the safety of everyone in the vicinity of the park.”
The investigation into this incident is still ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Alyssa Morris or Deputy Kevin Orr at 951-696-3000.
