Prominent men caught in Petaluma sting

Chris Hansen Correspondent • Profile

PETALUMA, CALIF. - We set up a house where a young teen is supposed to be home alone. Like moths to a flame, potential sex predators can’t stay away.

That is of course until they see me.

Even though millions of people have seen our series and we’ve caught 150 men, in this latest investigation, our seventh one,  we have one of our largest turnouts ever. 

29 men show up at this upscale house in Petaluma, California in just three days. We’ve rigged it with hidden cameras—the street, driveway, garage, alley and every inch of the backyard are covered.  But our guests have no idea they’re being recorded.

Inside the house, members of the online watchdog group Perverted-Justice are in chat rooms posing as young teens. Dateline has paid the organization a consulting fee. The PJ members are pretending to be 12- and 13-year-olds who are interested in sex and whose parents are away.

If a man in a chat room hits on one of the decoys and proposes sex, he’ll be given the address of this house and invited over.

Dateline hired an 18-year-old actress to play the part of the 12- or 13-year-old home alone...and the men seem happy to see her.

Like 30-year-old Jaswinder Cheema, a sales manager for a large electronics company. Online he calls himself “xclusivelyinit.”  He hit on a Perverted-Justice decoy posing as a 13-year-old in a Yahoo chat room. He tells the girl, “I could probably teach you a few things.  The decoy says, “Yeah like what?” and he responds “Hmmm like you know some positions and moves. Then he says he likes soft sensual kissing— “See I like to make love.”

Decoy: Sit down for me.

Jaswinder Cheema: Let me see you.

Decoy: I’m gonna go change into my... well, hang on.  You gotta be patient...

Chris Hansen (Dateline correspondent): What, no hug for me?

Cheema: I’m sorry?

Hansen: Why don’t you have a seat right over there for me.

Cheema: Oh, no.

Hansen: Oh, no what?  Come on. 

Cheema: I’m sorry.

Hansen: You’re sorry for what?

Cheema: I think I know what this is. I’m not for that, seriously.

Hansen: What is it?

Cheema: You’re probably gonna arrest me?

Hansen: I’m not gonna arrest you, no.

Cheema: Cops will probably.

Hansen: I’m not a cop.

Cheema: I know.  I’m sorry.  I’m not here really to do anything though.

He claims the girl he was coming to meet is 19, despite the fact that the decoy says she’s thirteen, not once but twice.

Hansen: I’ve got entire transcript here.  And no place does it say that she’s 19.  I mean, you can go through it.  If you find it you can tell me.

Cheema: No, no.  I believe you.  How old did she say she was?

Hansen: 13.

Cheema: Wow. Are you serious?

Hansen: She says that right off the get go here.

Cheema: I was actually home at that time really drunk.

Hansen: Right.

Cheema: I probably didn’t even pay attention to that.

Hansen: So you didn’t even notice that she was 13.

Cheema: I didn’t.

Hansen: Yeah.

Cheema: I have never, ever been with a minor.

Hansen: And how old are you?

Cheema: I’m 20-- actually, 28?  Yeah.

Actually he’s 30 years old.

Hansen: She says she’s 13.  You say, “Well, I never met anyone your age.”

Cheema: I’m on—I’m on video?

Hansen: I’m sorry?

Cheema: I’m on video?

Hansen: Right now?  Yes, you are.

Cheema: Can we turn that off, please?

Hansen: No, we can’t.

Cheema: Where’s the police?  I know what’s going to happen.

It turns out “xclusivelyinit” knows exactly what he’s just walked into.

Cheema: I’ve watched your show on Dateline.  I would never do that.

Hansen: So you’ve seen the show and you showed up here anyway.

Cheema: I didn’t know she was 13. I’m sorry.

Hansen: Come on, though.  But it says right there.

Cheema: Could you please turn the camera off?

Hansen: I cannot do that.

Instead I remind him who I am...

Hansen: I’m Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC.

And the big cameras come out.  Because he’s seen our reports he knows what happens next.

Cheema: The cops are here. 

That’s correct. Perverted-Justice is working with the Petaluma police department providing chat logs and other evidence needed for law enforcement to arrest any suspect who show up at the house.

Cheema: Well, I mean, I know the police is gonna arrest me.  So where do you want me to go and be arrested?  I can explain to the police. I mean, look at me.  Do you think I would do something like that?  I’m very professional.

Hansen: Well, if you want to go, you should go out the same way you came.

The police are staked out in the garage of the house next door. As a man exists the backyard, law enforcement moves in and then makes the arrest.

Cheema: I’m here, officer.

Police officer: Alright.  Step on out.  Step on out.  Step on out.  Hands up.  Hand it up.

Cheema: I’m here.

Police officer: Keep your hands up.

He’s taken to a booking station, where he’s photographed and later interviewed by a detective. He continues to insist that he thought the girl was 19.

Cheema: I was drinking at that time and I didn’t really pay attention.  Wow, she’s 13. If I was awake and I had known, I would not be here.

His chat lasts three days. Was he drunk the whole time? Then he comes up with something we’ve never heard before--  the “I know all about ‘To Catch a Predator’ defense.”

Cheema: I mean, you can talk to Chris, I said, “I know who you are.  I’ve seen the show many, many times."  I mean, we talk about it at work.  I would never do anything like that. Why am I being arrested?  I haven’t really done anything.  Don’t you think I should—

Police officer: Because we prevented it. We prevented it from happening.

Cheema: So why am I still arrested though?

Police officer: Because you came up here to prey on a 13-year-old girl.

Cheema: I know but that part is over.  Whatever happened, I mean, don’t you think I should be let go now?

Police officer: So you can go find another 13-year-old?  I have a responsibility.  I’m responsible to keep my community safe—

Cheema: You’re right.  I can see where you’re coming from.

Police officer: So please understand where I’m coming from.

Cheema: I understand.  I didn’t think about that.  You’re right.

He’s taken over to the Sonoma County jail where he’ll remain until he posts $30,000 bail.

The next men you’ll meet have taken an oath to serve our country—now they’ll be taken away in handcuffs.

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