A Houston-based civilian group that hunts alleged child predators says its latest online sting helped set off the arrest of 69-year-old Michael Oren Riser in Magna, after members say they posed as a 13-year-old and arranged a meeting, according to court filings. Riser was arrested on Wednesday and is facing a charge of sexual exploitation of a minor. Investigators say he is being held without bail and has multiple outstanding warrants for failing to register as a sex offender. Police say they also recovered a phone containing alleged child sexual abuse material in a shed behind his home.
How investigators say the sting unfolded
According to FOX13, the leader of Predator Poachers posed online as a 13-year-old and arranged a meeting near Wickiup Lane and Autosome Lane in Magna, then tipped off officers. Court filings and chat logs the group turned over allegedly show Riser sending messages about his desire to engage in sexual relations with the decoy, and officers say those logs helped them establish probable cause. Investigators told FOX13 they later found a phone with child sexual abuse material in a shed behind Riser's residence and that Riser pointed out where he had stored the device.
Who are the Predator Poachers?
Predator Poachers is a Houston-based civilian group that sets up decoy accounts to lure suspected predators and records confrontations for its online channels, as KSL reported in April. That reporting notes that Utah officials have at times credited the group with exposing predatory conduct, while also warning that uncoordinated confrontations can create safety risks and complicate prosecutions. The tension between these community-driven stings and formal law enforcement work has surfaced repeatedly across the state this year.
Legal status and next steps
Prosecutors are set to review the evidence gathered by both police and the private group. Court filings show officials have asked to hold Riser without bail, saying he is transient after recently arriving from Alaska, according to FOX13. Riser also faces multiple outstanding warrants for failing to register as a sex offender, and the Unified Police Department says the investigation is ongoing. If defense attorneys push back on material collected by third parties, that fight could end up shaping how any future prosecution plays out.
What officials advise
Local prosecutors and corrections officials have repeatedly urged anyone with tips about possible child exploitation to contact law enforcement rather than staging their own stings, a point emphasized in KSL's reporting. The Unified Police Department has not released additional details as the case remains under active investigation.
