LAS VEGAS, NV. (THECOUNT) — Bryant Moreland, the former YouTube personality known as EDP445, has been arrested in Las Vegas and charged with four felony sex offenses in California following statements he made in a documentary about a 2021 incident involving a child under 14.
Moreland, 35, was taken into custody Wednesday, Nov. 4, with assistance from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, according to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors filed the criminal complaint in Kern County on Nov. 2.
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The four felony charges include attempting to commit lewd acts upon a child, meeting a minor for lewd purposes, contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, and distributing or showing pornography to a minor.
The charges stem from an alleged incident on April 17, 2021, in Bakersfield, California. Prosecutors said the case was initially investigated but could not move forward because of a lack of cooperation from the reporting parties.
That changed after Moreland participated in the documentary “The Sick Mind of EDP445,” released in August. The Kern County District Attorney’s Office and Kern County Sheriff’s Office reopened the investigation after reviewing statements he made in the film.
“Following its review of the new evidence, the District Attorney’s Office determined that the evidentiary threshold for filing criminal charges had been met,” prosecutors said.
In the documentary, Moreland discussed the 2021 incident and acknowledged communicating sexually with someone he believed was underage. At one point, he said he knew his conduct was wrong and “highly illegal.” He also acknowledged understanding the law and what he was doing.
The 2021 case drew widespread attention after online personality Alex Rosen, who operates Predator Poachers, staged a sting involving an account posing as a 13-year-old girl named “Sophie.” Moreland was confronted on camera after arriving at a Bakersfield apartment complex. The incident became widely known online as the “cupcake” sting.
The documentary also includes an interview with a 15-year-old girl identified as Kayla, who alleged Moreland sent her sexually explicit images and videos and threatened her. Moreland denied her allegations that he pressured her to continue communicating with him at the urging of another online personality.
Former “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen also interviewed Moreland for the documentary. Attorney Michael Pariente, who appeared in the film, warned that Moreland’s decision to participate could expose him to criminal prosecution.
At the height of his online popularity, Moreland had more than 4 million YouTube subscribers. The platform later terminated his account following the controversy surrounding the 2021 incident.
Documentary director Mike Clum said in a statement Thursday that online creators and the internet community helped bring renewed attention to the case. He credited several content creators and Hansen for raising awareness that eventually prompted action by Kern County authorities.
Moreland was being held in Nevada pending his return to California to face the charges. An arraignment date had not been announced in the reports available Thursday. The charges are allegations, and Moreland is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Bakersfield is the county seat of Kern County in California’s southern San Joaquin Valley. Moreland was arrested in Las Vegas, approximately 290 miles northeast of Bakersfield.
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