A screenshot from the Luzerne County Predator Catcher’s posted video reportedly shows Ryan Barrett slapping himself. Police in Kingston arrested the Scranton man who was allegedly caught trying to meet who he thought was a 15-year-old girl for sex.
                                 Screenshot from Luzerne County Predator Catcher

A screenshot from the Luzerne County Predator Catcher’s posted video reportedly shows Ryan Barrett slapping himself. Police in Kingston arrested the Scranton man who was allegedly caught trying to meet who he thought was a 15-year-old girl for sex.

Screenshot from Luzerne County Predator Catcher

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<p>Barrett</p>

Barrett

KINGSTON — Police in Kingston arrested a Scranton man caught by the self-proclaimed Luzerne County Predator Catcher intending to meet who he thought was a 15-year-old girl for sex.

Ryan John Barrett, 34, was arraigned Friday by District Judge James Haggerty in Kingston on three counts of criminal attempt to commit unlawful contact with a minor, and one count each of criminal solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, criminal solicitation to commit statutory sexual assault and criminal use of communication facility. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $50,000 bail.

Barrett is recorded in a posted video slapping himself 19 times as there was a 19 year age difference between himself and the fictitious 15-year-old girl he intended to meet.

Musa Harris, the self-proclaimed predator catcher in Luzerne County, is named as a cooperating witness in court records.

According to the criminal complaint:

Barrett on Aug. 30 initiated online communications with someone who he believed was a 15-year-old girl. His first message was, “Hey what’s up sexy.”

Barrett was asked his age as Barrett asked about the girl’s age, being instructed to look at the online profile indicating it belonged to a 15-year-old girl.

Police in court records say Barrett’s communications were sexual, and he sent the fictitious teenage girl a picture of an man and a woman engaged in a sex act.

In the posted video, Harris confronts Barrett in a parking lot sitting on a motorcycle and wearing a helmet. Barrett eventually removes the helmet and acknowledged the 19-year age difference.

Barrett then follows Harris’ suggestion to slap himself 19 times, according to the posted video.

Barrett begs Harris not to post his face while thanking Harris for talking to him.