Sterling Heights man accused of trying to lure teen to store for sex
Suspect ran out of Kroger when confronted by accusers
He thought he was going to meet a female teenager for sex.
But Sinan Kalemaj instead found himself being confronted by grown men armed with a cellphone inside of a Kroger grocery store to film the episode.
Kalemaj, 24, of Sterling Heights, ran from the Harrison Township store but was later arrested by the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. He was arraigned Wednesday in 41B District Court in Clinton Township on six felony counts.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called Monday evening to respond to a disturbance in the Kroger parking lot near Crocker Boulevard and 16 Mile Road. They discovered the confrontation was verbal only and no assault had taken place.
Investigators said in a news release it appears Kalemaj allegedly “was attempting to meet up with an underage individual.”
“Upon investigation, Macomb Area Computer Enforcement
(MACE) located evidence that Kalemaj was possibly in the area to meet up with a 13-year-old female for the purposes of sexual activity,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “This activity did not take place.”
The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office charged Kalemaj with three counts of child sexually abusive activity and three counts of using a computer to commit a crime.
A online group known as Dads Against Predators (DAP) posted a video of two men confronting Kalemaj inside the Kroger.
According to their web site, DAP is made up of two men, one from Fremont, Ohio, the other from Marion, N.C. They attempt to catch “predaphiles” — a phrase combining “predator” and “pedophile” — and turn them over to police.
But in some states, the duo has been labeled vigilantes and have been told to stop their actions. They could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Kalemaj was given a $20,000 bond and ordered not to use any computer until the matter is resolved. He was transported to the Macomb County Jail but has since been released after posting bond.
He is scheduled to return to court for a probable cause conference at 1 p.m. April 11.