This is according to a police report and explosive bodycam footage obtained by IOL.
Twenty-eight-year-old Arno Venter was arrested during his shift outside the Walmart store where he worked in North Olmsted about three weeks ago.
Police were called to the supermarket by Predator Poachers, an online vigilante group that entraps and exposes suspected internet sex predators after staging an ambush on Venter outside his workplace.
The group has since publicly named Venter.
North Olmsted police spokesperson Matthew Beck told IOL that detectives were still working to extract the contents of Venter’s phone.
“Arno stated he was a refugee to officers which was confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security,” Beck said.
“We are working with Internet Crimes Against Children to extract the phone.
“We are not aware of any evidence indicating he created any of it.
“No children have been identified as of today … the investigation is still ongoing.”
Beck said detectives had a search warrant for all the images and videos on Venter’s phone.
In footage from the bodycam of North Olmsted policeman Kyle Storm, Venter was read his rights outside the store before Storm asked him about his phone.
“Do you have explicit images on your phone of juveniles? Of kids, sexual acts, anything like that,” Storm asked.
“Yes,” Venter said.
Storm took the phone from Venter, telling him police would apply for a search warrant to go through it.
“Before you guys take my phone, can I call my family?” Venter asked.
“No. This phone is ours now,” Storm said.
Storm warned Venter that police would write a report and that charges could follow, depending on what was found on the phone.
Venter told Storm he did not have a driver’s licence because he did not drive.
He gave police the pattern that unlocked his phone.
He then told Storm, unprompted, that he had done it to fit in.
“I only done that to fit in,” Venter said.
“And I do have content of that, that I trade, but as I said, it’s only just to fit in.”
“So when you say fit in, what do you mean by that?” Storm asked.
“To feel validated,” Venter said.
When Storm asked why that would make him feel validated, Venter said other people relied on him for the material.
“Because people will depend on me to give them what they want,” Venter said.
“So you’re going to feel needed?” Storm asked.
“Yeah,” Venter said.
Storm offered Venter the chance to write a statement giving his side of the story.
Venter told him he struggled with English.
“Yeah, but my English is not very good,” Venter said.
“I mean, if the statement could help me.”
Storm told him he could not say whether a statement would help or hurt him.
Venter declined to write one.
He was then placed in the back of the police car so that police could ask him more questions.
