Overview
Perverted Justice was set up in 2002 by Frank Fencepost and Xavier Von Erck (born Philip John Eide). The organization says that its online operations have led to 314 convictions as of March 28, 2009, with over 200 more currently awaiting trial, and an average of 25 arrests a month for the year of 2006.
The site originally started with the posting of chat logs to shame people who engaged in sexual chats with purported children. Some members of the site allegedly went further by harassing the targets of their chats in real life, as well as their friends, neighbors, employers, and family. After a falling-out over a vitriolic chat log with a phone verifier in 2004, Fencepost was dismissed from the site. "Xavier became much more oriented toward getting pedophiles arrested rather than just making them complete social pariahs in their neighborhood," says Fencepost.
Von Erck said he got the idea for the website while watching people attempt to groom young girls in chat rooms in Oregon. He says Perverted-Justice is a computer watchdog agency that works closely with law enforcement agencies. "The media likes to use the term 'vigilante' because it gets attention, but we don't consider ourselves vigilantes. We cultivate cooperation with police and work within the law to get justice, not outside of the law."
Along with Von Erck, top-ranking staff include chief financial officer Dennis "Frag" Kerr, and secretary Alison Shea (a.k.a. Del Harvey). In 2006, Perverted Justice received $802,000 from NBC for its work on To Catch a Predator, and $18,000 in other revenue, for a total of $820,000. In 2007, the site expects to receive another $450,000, and in 2008 another $600,000.
From that remuneration (and coupled with other grant revenue), the site's principals, Von Erck, Kerr, and Harvey each receive annual salaries of $120,000. In addition to the three, four other persons serve as directors. The foundation's address is a private mailbox in Hermosa Beach, California.
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