Testimony heard in 'video vigilante' case

By Ty McMahan
The Oklahoman

Known prostitutes and police officers testified before the Oklahoma multicounty grand jury Tuesday as members began investigating the pandering case of self-proclaimed "video vigilante" Brian Bates.


Bates, 36, of Oklahoma City was charged in February 2005 with five counts of pandering, but the counts were dismissed in January.

The state's lead witness in the pandering case, Renee McCullough, was with the grand jury for several hours. At Bates' preliminary hearing last year, McCullough said she was given between $40 and $60 to set up "Johns" to be caught on tape by Bates.

Bates has produced videos that show men engaging in sex acts with prostitutes, claiming his intentions were to reveal the men and women in an attempt to deter further acts of prostitution.

Testimony heard in 'video vigilante' case

By Ty McMahan
The Oklahoman

Known prostitutes and police officers testified before the Oklahoma multicounty grand jury Tuesday as members began investigating the pandering case of self-proclaimed "video vigilante" Brian Bates.


Bates, 36, of Oklahoma City was charged in February 2005 with five counts of pandering, but the counts were dismissed in January.

The state's lead witness in the pandering case, Renee McCullough, was with the grand jury for several hours. At Bates' preliminary hearing last year, McCullough said she was given between $40 and $60 to set up "Johns" to be caught on tape by Bates.

Bates has produced videos that show men engaging in sex acts with prostitutes, claiming his intentions were to reveal the men and women in an attempt to deter further acts of prostitution.
Brian Bates is a pain in the butt, and a menace to the police department. I have dealt with him a couple of times, and he is just an arrogant person. He feels he is doing his duty as the video vigilante, however, I feel that he has gone over board and enjoying it way too much.

Do I think he paid a hooker to give sexual favors to a john so that he could video it? You bet. Mr. Bates is a sick man that needs help. Maybe in the beginning he was doing something good for the city, however, he got too involved and went off the deep end.