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6 Massachusetts college students arraigned for allegedly trying ‘catch a predator’ trend

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6 Massachusetts college students arraigned for allegedly trying ‘catch a predator’ trend



The man allegedly lured by the Assumption University students was a 22-year-old active military member.

The six Massachusetts college students accused of participating in the “catch a predator” TikTok trend by using Tinder to lure a man to campus and assaulting him appeared in court Thursday as they were arraigned.

The Assumption University students, who all face kidnapping and conspiracy charges, briefly stood in Worcester District Court and pleaded not guilty before being released on personal recognizance.

The accused students all exited the courtroom hastily with their families and none of them, or their attorneys, offered comment to reporters following the brief hearings, according to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette − part of the USA TODAY Network.

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The defendants — Kelsy Brainard, 18; Easton Randall, 19; Kevin Carroll, 18; Isabella Trudeau, 18; and Joaquin Smith, 18 — showed little emotion in the courtroom, the Associated Press reported. A juvenile was also charged and arraigned separately in juvenile court, the outlet said.

Robert Iacovelli, Trudeau’s lawyer, told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette his client is innocent and he subsequently filed a one-page motion on Thursday seeking dismissal of the charges against her arguing the authorities’ lack of probable cause.

USA TODAY contacted the students’ attorneys Thursday but did not receive an immediate response.

Here is what to know about the case and the man who campus police say was falsely labeled a sexual predator.

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What are the Assumption University students accused of doing?

The Assumption University students are accused of using Tinder to trick the man to the school’s campus on Oct. 1, and once there, he was mobbed by a group of more than 20 students who called him a pedophile and assaulted him, according to a criminal complaint obtained by USA TODAY.

Although Brainard told campus police that the “creepy guy” came on campus looking for a 17-year-old girl, officers found no evidence of this and said she and the other five students fabricated the meetup to participate in the “catch a predator” TikTok trend.

The man “believed he was meeting an 18-year-old girl on a college campus and using the Tinder app as it is originally designed to initiate a hookup,” the complaint reads. Brainard’s Tinder account also listed her as 18, police said.

What did the university say?

In response to the subsequent investigation and charges against its students, the university’s President Greg Weiner said in a statement to USA TODAY that “the behavior described in the court filing is abhorrent and antithetical to Assumption University’s mission and values.”

Assumption University is a private, Catholic university located in Worcester, Massachusetts.

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“In all circumstances, we expect our students to exercise sound judgment and uphold the principles of respect, responsibility, and character that define our community,” Weiner said. “Once the incident was reported, the Department of Public Safety commenced an immediate and thorough investigation − with concern for the victim at the forefront − which resulted in our Campus Police filing charges against six students.”

The school did not say whether or not the students would face academic discipline.

Alleged victim was a 22-year-old active military member

The man who was mobbed and assaulted, including having his head slammed into his car door allegedly by the juvenile student, is a 22-year-old active military member.

“This situation is particularly sobering because the victim is an active-duty military service member,” Weiner said. “His service reminds us of the sacrifices made by those who defend our freedoms, including the opportunity to pursue a college education.”

The man told police he was in Worcester for his grandmother’s funeral in October and “just wanted to be around people that were happy,” according to the complaint.

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Before leaving the courtroom, the judge ordered the teenagers to not have any contact with the man, the AP reported.

What is the ‘catch a predator’ trend?

The “catch a predator” TikTok trend is inspired by the popular reality TV series “To Catch a Predator” featuring journalist Chris Hansen. The show aired on NBC and revolved around men arriving at a sting house to try and have sex with a minor. The men were usually ambushed at the homes by Hansen and law enforcement before being arrested.

Sometimes these vigilante-like operations lead to convictions, but usually, they do not. Authorities have warned people against conducting these stings because they could turn violent.

“We are asking parents to take these incidents as an opportunity to talk with their teenage children about the seriousness of actively participating in these types of trends they see on social media,” Mount Prospect, Illinois Police Chief Michael Eterno said after 11 teenage boys were charged with felonies last year for allegedly participating in the trend.

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High School On SI 2024 All-State Massachusetts’ Football Award Winners

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High School On SI 2024 All-State Massachusetts’ Football Award Winners


There were first-time state champions, repeat winners – and some of the craziest games you will ever seen played anywhere on a football field this fall.

And now it is time for High School On SI Massachusetts to release its individual award winners, including the player and coach of the year honorees.

The Boston College commitment played for Division 2’s top team, which Catholic Memorial defeated King Philip Regional 39-21 for the Super Bowl. Dodd was the workhorse for the team, rushing for 1,362 yards on 115 attempts and scoring 20 touchdowns. The senior also added seven catches for 139 yards through the air. 

Whether it was through the air or on the ground, Attaway compiled over 1,000 yards either way. The senior led the way to the Hawks winning the Division 6 Super Bowl state title. Attaway finished completing 76-of-113 passes for 1,329 yards and 20 touchdowns. On the ground, Attaway rushed for 1,008 yards on 65 carries and 12 scores. 

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Frisch stood out on both sides of the ball, but especially on the defensive side at middle linebacker. The 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker racked up 59 tackles, eight going for a loss, 12 sacks, an interception and forced a fumble. On offense at tight end, Frisch caught 14 passes for 301 yards and five touchdowns. 

Playing for the Division 7 Super Bowl state champions, the junior running back was phenomenal out of the backfield. The Spartans’ tailback carried the rock 201 times for 1,772 yards and scored 26 touchdowns. LaChapelle caught five passes for 100 yards and two scores. 

Despite losing multiple games during the regular season and many throughout the state wondering if Xaverian Brothers could repeat as Division I state champions. The Hawks pulled it off under the guidance of Fornaro as he guided the team to the Division I Super Bowl, defeating Needham, 14-7. 

Follow High School On SI throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates, the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships!

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news.

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High School On SI will serve as the premier destination for high school sports fans, delivering unparalleled coverage of high school athletics nationwide through in-depth stories, recruiting coverage, rankings, highlights and much more. The launch of a dedicated high school experience expands Sports Illustrated’s reach to even more local communities as fans can now truly follow athletes from “preps to the pros” on a single platform, bringing them closer to the action than ever before. For more information, visit si.com/high-school.

To get live updates on your phone – as well as follow your favorite teams and top games – you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App

— Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @highschoolonsi



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Lucas: Ayotte’s shots at Healey over immigration hit mark

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Lucas: Ayotte’s shots at Healey over immigration hit mark


Hardly had Kelly Ayotte, the new governor of New Hampshire unloaded on Massachusetts over its immigration policy, than another illegal immigrant was charged with rape in the Bay State.

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Disciplinary hearing for suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor continued to 2nd day

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Disciplinary hearing for suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor continued to 2nd day


Suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor’s Trial Board disciplinary proceedings will go on to a second day.

Proctor’s trouble publicly began when he testified during the murder trial of Karen Read last summer. During a tense examination by the prosecution and even more intense cross examination, Proctor admitted to inappropriate private texts that he made as the case officer investigating Read.

“She’s a whack job (expletive),” Proctor read from compilations of text messages he sent to friends as he looked at Read’s phone. The last word was a derogatory term for women that he at first tried to spell out before Judge Beverly Cannone told him to read it the way he wrote it.

“Yes she’s a babe. Weird Fall River accent, though. No (butt),” he continued under oath on June 10, 2024.

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He also texted them “no nudes so far” as an update on the search through her phone. He also testified that he told his sister that he hoped that Read would kill herself.

On Wednesday, Proctor sat through a full day of trial board proceedings at MSP general headquarters in Framingham. When that concluded in the late afternoon, the board decided to continue for a second day on Feb. 10. Neither Wednesday’s proceeding nor the second day is open to the public.

Proctor was relieved of duty on July 1 of last year, which was the day the Read trial concluded in mistrial. He was suspended without pay a week later. The State Police finished its internal affairs investigation last week and convened the trial board to determine the next step in the disciplinary process.

The trial board makes disciplinary recommendations to the superintendent, who determines the final outcome.

“A State Police Trial Board shall hear cases regarding violations of Rules, Regulations, Policies, Procedures, Orders, or Directives,” states the Department’s Rules and Regulations.

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“In the event that the Trial Board finds guilt by a preponderance of the evidence on one or more of the charges, the Trial Board shall consider the evidence presented by the Department prosecutor pertaining to the accused member’s prior offenses/disciplinary history, and shall make recommendations for administrative action,” the rules and regulations state.

Read, 44, of Mansfield, faces charges of second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter and leaving the scene of a collision causing the death of O’Keefe, a 16-year Boston Police officer when he died at age 46 on Jan. 29, 2022. Read’s second trial is scheduled to begin April 16.

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