Delray Beach police said a recent sting linked to the online anti-predator group 561 Predator Catchers resulted in the arrest of a Miami man after investigators claimed he traveled to a prearranged meeting involving a minor.
According to a probable cause affidavit from Delray Beach police, Kevin Alvarez spoke online with someone he believed to be a young teen girl via a chat exchange linked to 561 Predator Catchers. Investigators said the decoy told Alvarez they were in Delray Beach and planned to meet at a specific spot near 1230 W. Linton Blvd., near a Dollar Tree.
When police responded as the meeting time approached, Alvarez allegedly arrived and was arrested shortly after the confrontation.
Officers read Alvarez his Miranda rights and took his comments at the scene, according to the affidavit. It also claims that during the investigation, Alvarez was charged with traveling to meet a minor for an unlawful sex act and using a two-way device to facilitate the felony—allegations that Florida law considers serious offenses in cases where a person arranges to have sex with someone believed to be underage.
Alvarez’s story is consistent with several recent 561 Predator Catchers-related arrests in Palm Beach County. In a previous Delray Beach instance, police arrested Christofer Almendares, 36, after detectives discovered he utilized the “Meet Me” app to arrange an in-person meeting with a person posing as a 14-year-old.
In another recent arrest related to the group, officers said a Mississippi man, Franco Vielma Alas, 40, drove to Delray Beach after messaging a decoy who he believed was a kid, resulting in charges of traveling to see a minor and using a two-way communication device to accomplish a felony.
A member of the FAU student government was also accused following an altercation at a Home Depot in Delray Beach.
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