SLEEPY EYE — A 29-year-old Sleepy Eye man faces felony charges for allegedly posing as a 15-year-old teenage male on a social media app, then harassing and assaulting him at Allison Park in Sleepy Eye Oct. 22.

Six felony harassment charges and two felony fifth-degree assault charges were filed Dec. 17 against Gideon Lynn Turgeon Jr.

Turgeon was accused of slapping an unnamed 22-year-old man on the side of his head after he agreed to meet his underage persona at Allison Park, according to court documents.

The slapping happened after Turgeon identified himself as a “Midwest Predator Catcher” to the alleged male victim in a park shelter. The man said he and Turgeon discussed “some sexual things” but did not agreed to do anything, according to court documents.

Sleepy Eye Police Investigator Shawn Bohnen drafted a search warrant to search Turgeon’s residence that was approved. Bohnen found iPhone messages between Turgeon and the man and a 19-minute video of Turgeon confronting the man at Allison Park that included Turgeon telling the man he is going to keep catching predators.

After Midwest Predator Catchers videos drew attention online in 2022, Brown County Attorney Chuck Hanson said he was concerned with the tactics and facts that suspects were confronted without police.

“I don’t encourage any sort of vigilantism for people without conflict resolution and law enforcement training. I’d discourage anyone from doing this sort of thing without law enforcement. Their motivation may be noble, but their execution is lacking,” said Hanson in The Journal.

Turgeon’s court appearance was set for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 21 on Zoom.