Self-Styled Rochester Predator Catcher Sentenced to Prison

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man who billed himself online as the "Midwest Predator Catcher" has been sentenced to just over four years in prison.

Court records show that 20-year-old Chase Taner Johnston was charged last year with felony counts of false imprisonment, stalking, and fifth-degree assault after Rochester police responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex. According to the criminal complaint, a man reported being held against his will and claimed he was "been set up for trying to sleep with a 16-year-old boy."

The court document indicates a law enforcement dispatcher reported hearing a lot of yelling and a male and female calling the victim a pedophile. The responding officer reported finding Johnston and an adult female recording video of the victim while following and yelling at him.

Chase Johnston criminal complaint - Olmsted County Court

The charges stated that the victim told investigators that he met someone on a social networking app and the person's profile indicated the person was 20 years old. The complaint says the victim claimed that when he arrived at the residence, Johnston let him inside before he stood in front of the door and barred him from leaving.

It went on to say that the victim eventually got outside, but Johnston followed him and stood in front of his car door.

Johnston - Olmsted County ADC

The officer who responded to the disturbance reported that he reviewed the messages exchanged by the victim and Johnston and noted that "Johnston said he was 20 and then eventually said he was 16." The officer also reported that the messages were about marijuana and the victim also sent explicit photos.

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The case went to trial in September and Johnston was found guilty of the stalking charge and the felony assault charge. He was acquitted of false imprisonment.

Olmsted County Court records indicate he was given a 48 month prison sentence for the stalking conviction which will be served concurrently with a 51 month prison term he was given today for a felony DUI conviction for an arrest last year.