Takedown with Chris Hansen · Owosso, Michigan investigation (2020)
Thomas Bates
Thomas Bates accepted a plea agreement after the Michigan sting. He received five years of probation for accosting a child for immoral purposes and a registration requirement.
Photo: To Catch a Predator Wiki
- Outcome
- Sentenced
- Evidence
- Attributed reporting
- Jurisdiction
- Shiawassee County, Michigan
- Encounter
- Not established
- Case number
- Not established
Personal details
- Occupation
- HVAC worker
- Height
- 6′2″
- Hair
- Blonde
- Eyes
- Green
Charges & sentence
3 counts · 1 convicted
Sentence
Five years of probation and sex offender registration.
Attributed to the sources below. Consult the original record for full terms.
Case records
Hansen investigationSentenced
3 counts · 1 convicted
Sentence
Five years of probation and sex offender registration.9
Reported five-year probation, not parole. Other original charge dispositions remain unknown. Earlier alcohol offense kept separate.
Case narrative
Biography
When Bates was young, he was arrested, charged, and convicted with minor possession of alcohol. He was forty-five at the time of the sting.
Sting and Aftermath
When Bates opened the door to the motel, the police quickly apprehend him. He attempted to tell the police he did nothing while arrested. Bates was left handcuffed on the bed, and Chris Hansen entered the room.
Hansen then asked Bates who he is here to meet, and Bates cuts straight to the point and says a fifteen-year-old girl. Hansen then asked Bates what he is doing, to which Bates describes nothing. Hansen then asked him if he brought condoms, to which Bates says no.
Hansen then tells him he is free to go while still handcuffed.
Bates was charged with three felonies-Child Sexually Abusive Activity, Children/Accosting for Immoral Purposes, and Computers-Internet-Communicating with Another to Commit a Crime.
Aftermath
Bates was able to post bail. He is still on parole, and has to register as a sex offender.
Community-written, from the To Catch a Predator Wiki. Not independently verified, and it does not establish charges or court outcomes.
Thomas Bates, To Catch a Predator Wiki contributors; see revision and history links. · CC-BY-SA
Media
Sources
- 1Ep. 6 - Genesee TomPublisher catalog: Season 1, episode 6. Playback availability was not tested.
- 2Three defendants arraigned after the Owosso hotel investigationThe report identifies Shawn O'Brien, Thomas Bates and Michael Lott in the same hotel sting in Owosso, Shiawassee County.
- 3Full Episode - Genesee Tom - Takedown with Chris HansenOfficial TruBlu YouTube upload. The public publisher listing or watch page marks this upload as members-only; subscriber playback was not tested. Metadata provides a media association only, not independent proof of legal allegations or outcomes.
- 4Chris Hansen vs. Genesee County Tom - Takedown - Season 1, Episode 6Official TruBlu YouTube catalog entry. Access and playback were not verified; the channel catalog establishes the upload title and video identity only. The person association uses the cited publisher episode metadata and named episode index; no legal facts are inferred.
- 5Chris Hansen Partial Episode - Takedown - Genesee Tom - S1, E6Official TruBlu YouTube catalog entry. Access and playback were not verified; the channel catalog establishes the upload title and video identity only. The person association uses the cited publisher episode metadata and named episode index; no legal facts are inferred.
- 6Have A Seat With Chris Hansen - Michigan Predator Episode One - CaughtOfficial Chris Hansen channel catalog entry. Person association was reviewed using the specific title and the separately cited identity context; current playback and access conditions were not checked.
- 7Thomas Bates (community wiki)Attributed community article. Revision date describes the article update, not a court or sting event. Full infobox, narrative sections, references and assets are retained in the private archive.
- 8Thomas Bates: occupation informationThe profile infobox lists these occupations. Undated roles do not establish current employment.
- 9Thomas Bates: legal outcome (revision 12518)Five years of probation and sex offender registration.
- 10Takedown with Chris Hansen episode listEpisode-to-subject associations from season tables, revision 16419. Legal-status cells are not imported.
- 11Thomas Bates (archived identity context)Archived biography and encounter narrative provide the full name and distinguishing investigation context. This source is used for media identity matching only.