Behind the Trap: Inside a GHOST Squad Sting
FLINT, Mich. (FOX 2) - Inside a cramped, rundown Mid-Michigan hotel room, six heavily armed investigators sit on plastic lawn chairs in dead silence. A cell phone on the table buzzes.
On the other end of the line is a man who thinks he is arranging a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old girl. In reality, he is walking straight into a sting orchestrated by G.H.O.S.T.—the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Global Human Oppression Strike Team.
The specialized task force gave FOX 2 an exclusive look at what it takes to hunt down online child predators.
"We’ve prosecuted 270 predators," says Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson, the creator of the unit. "And we’ve never lost a case."
Despite a flawless conviction record and widespread publicity, investigators say the digital influx of predators trying to target children hasn't slowed down.
'Business is Still Very Good'
FOX 2 first embedded with the team back in the summer of 2023. During those initial undercover stings, we watched investigators catch predators traveling from Mid-Michigan all the way down to Monroe County.
Three years later, we suited up with them again.
Tonight on FOX 2 News at 10 - Jessica Dupnack takes us inside the G.H.O.S.T. stings that are protecting children and putting suspected predators behind bars.