In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, John Robert Tasevoli, a 44-year-old from Lower Paxton Township, has been sentenced to three to ten years in state prison. Tasevoli pleaded guilty to charges related to attempting to meet a minor for sex, following a sting operation conducted by a vigilante known as "Mr. 17540." The vigilante, whose real name is Justin Perry, posed as a 14-year-old girl online, engaging Tasevoli in explicit conversations over several months.
According to the Lancaster Online, Tasevoli arranged to meet Perry, believing he was meeting a minor, at a Sonic restaurant parking lot in West Earl Township in August 2023. Perry confronted Tasevoli during the meeting, livestreaming the encounter on social media. The video footage led to Tasevoli's arrest and subsequent charges.
Judge Thomas Sponaugle, who presided over the case, described Tasevoli’s actions as "absolutely disgusting." Tasevoli must register as a sex offender for life and undergo an evaluation to determine if he is a sexually violent predator. The Daily Voice reports that the charges against Tasevoli include criminal attempt of statutory sexual assault, criminal solicitation of statutory sexual assault, and other related offenses.
Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo prosecuted the case. Tasevoli was already in Dauphin County Prison on unrelated charges when he was served with the warrant. Perry, who has been conducting similar sting operations since 2018, has gained a following on social media for exposing child predators.