Bryant Moreland, the former YouTuber known as EDP445, was arrested in Las Vegas on Wednesday and charged with four felony sex crimes out of Kern County, California.
Court documents list the charges as attempted lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, meeting with a minor for lewd purposes, contacting a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense, and sending content with intent to seduce a minor. His bail was set at $30,000. The charges are unproven, and Moreland is presumed innocent.
Five years ago this story ended with no charges at all. In April 2021, a civilian sting group confronted Moreland at a Bakersfield apartment complex over messages with an adult decoy posing as a 13 year old. He said he was only there to pick up a cupcake. His channels were wiped, and prosecutors never filed.
What changed was Moreland himself, on camera. The documentary “The Sick Mind of EDP445” put him across from Chris Hansen, and in that sit down he admitted he showed up that day trying to meet the girl. Hansen says those admissions gave prosecutors what they needed to go get a warrant.
“Trying to have sex.”
Moreland, describing the 2021 meeting in his sit down with Chris Hansen
The Kern County District Attorney’s office says it reopened the investigation with the Sheriff’s office after his documentary statements and found the evidence finally cleared the bar for charges. Detectives traveled to Nevada to interview Moreland, who was taken into custody outside a dialysis center. Extradition back to Kern County is expected in the coming weeks.
The internet convicted him in 2021 and moved on. Now an actual court gets its turn.