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Assumption student to serve community service in ‘To Catch a Predator’ scheme
Kelsy Brainard, 18, was ordered Friday to serve 40 hours of community service within the year to drop an intimidation charge.
An Assumption University student will have to serve community service for her role in a “To Catch a Predator” social media scheme that falsely accused a man of interacting with underage girls.
Kelsy Brainard, 18, of Holyoke, was ordered Friday to serve 40 hours of community service within the year and be on good behavior for an intimidation charge to be dropped, according to court records. Brainard also faced kidnapping and conspiracy charges that were dismissed in April.
On Oct. 2, Brainard reported to police a sexual predator on campus who made her feel “creepy” and asked her friend, Easton Randall, 19, to help get him off campus, according to court records.
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Further evidence showed that Brainard spoke to the 22-year-old man over Tinder — in which Brainard’s profile indicated she was 18 — and invited him to Alumni Hall on Assumption’s campus in Worcester.
A Snapchat video filmed by Randall showed a group of students swarming the man and chasing him up a flight of stairs and to his car, accusing him of trying to meet with a 17-year-old girl for sex. Brainard was 18 at the time of the incident.
Interviews with other students revealed that they were attempting to make a “To Catch a Predator” style video for TikTok, according to court documents. This information directly contradicted Brainard’s original statements, and evidence showed the incident did “not appear to be a random occurrence but a deliberately staged event.”
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The man reported that the students grabbed him and struck him on the head as he was being followed, according to court records. Student Kevin Carroll, 18, said he slammed the man’s head in his car door as he was trying to flee.
Five students, including Brainard, Randall, and Carroll, were initially charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. A minor was also identified as a conspirator.
All charges against the five students were dropped in April, except for Brainard’s intimidation charge and Carroll’s assault and battery with a weapon charge that is still pending.
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