Frankfort man charged with indecent solicitation of a child in Park Forest

A Frankfort man has been arrested on an indecent solicitation of a child charge following a sting operation by Predator Poachers Southeast Texas, court records show.

At 2:10 a.m. Friday, Michael Reda, 35, was taken to the Will County jail on a charge of traveling to meet a child and indecent solicitation of a child.

The charges were the result of an investigation by the Park Forest Police Department of an online sting operation conducted by Predator Poachers Southeast Texas.

At 7 p.m. on Dec. 9, 2024, officers responded to a report from a 28-year-old member of the group who posed as a 13-year-old girl on the social media app Bluesky, according to a court filing by Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Frank Byers.

Officers were provided text threads from Bluesky, Facebook and TextMe, Byers said.

Officers discovered Reda had conversations with the purported 13-year-old girl that were “sexual in nature,” Byers said.

Reda allegedly admitted to officers that he agreed to meet with the person he thought was a girl but claimed she said she was 23 on a Facebook video call, Byers said.

“However, that recording since has been obtained and this is simply not the case,” Byers said.

A detective contacted Reda’s father, Patrick Reda, who is an attorney for the state, and he agreed to make his son available to the police on March 13, Byers said.

Byers requested Reda stay in jail because he is charged with an offense eligible for detention and he posed a threat to the community.

Chicago attorney Peter Soukaras persuaded Judge Derek Ewanic to release Reda from jail on Friday, court records show.

Ewanic signed a court order demanding Reda have no contact with anyone under 18 and have no internet access after he is released from jail.

Ewanic also required Reda to submit to 24-hour electronic monitoring and home confinement.