‘Predator catcher’ defendant allowed to withdraw guilty plea

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WILKES-BARRE — Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough granted a request by a Plymouth man to withdraw his guilty plea stemming from a vigilante predator child sex sting.

William Lee Lewis, 41, of Bead Street, had pled guilty to criminal attempt to commit unlawful contact with a child that was spurred by an alleged confrontation with the self-proclaimed Luzerne County Predator Catcher Musa Harris in June 2021.

Harris turned over online chat logs and recorded encounter he had with Lewis to Kingston police, which filed criminal charges against Lewis.

As Lewis faced the potential of up to two years in prison, his attorney, Ellen M. Granahan of Scranton, filed a motion to withdraw the guilty plea as she plans to challenge the legality of vigilante predator child sex stings before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Granahan said she is planning to file a King’s Bench petition asking the state’s highest court to intervene as there is a difference of legal opinions across Pennsylvania involving “vigilante” child sex stings.

Granahan and Attorney William I. Abraham have jointly filed a King’s Bench petition on behalf of Rodney Albertson, 54, of Nanticoke, who was busted by Harris. Other attorneys have filed the same King’s Bench petition on behalf of their clients who have been charged by law enforcement with information supplied by Harris.

Granahan said she is expecting the PA Supreme Court to issue a ruling in December.

The difference of prosecution and judicial opinions across Pennsylvania centers on the language of unlawful contact with a minor. The statute requires a sworn law enforcement officer posing as a minor or an actual minor to support the offense in court, defense attorneys have argued.

District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, however, previously explained adding another criminal offense – criminal attempt – to the unlawful contact with a minor offense, supports prosecutorial efforts.

Granahan said if Lewis had been sentenced Wednesday and if the Supreme Court rules against vigilante predator cases, “it would be a clear injustice.”