Joshua Cummins

> Josh: "Have you ever been to jail?"
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> Decoy: "Mm-mm."
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> Josh: "Don't go. \*laughs\* It's no fun."
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> - Josh accidentally predicting the future

Josh's mugshot

**Joshua "Josh" Cummins** is a potential predator caught in one of the **Polk County, Florida** stings on *Takedown with Chris Hansen*. He is mostly known for his creepy phone call and desire to play "the nervous game."

## Phone call and chat

28-year-old Josh began an online conversation with a Polk County Sheriff's Office decoy posing as a 14-year-old girl. Instead of sticking to chatting through messages, Josh obtained the decoy's number and began a phone conversation that lasted for almost an hour. The conversation started off innocent enough, with Josh making idle chatter by asking the decoy various questions, such as where her parents were, if she had ever been to jail, if she could drive, and, most disturbingly discovering she was 14, not 15 as he previosuly believed. He wished her an early birthday and complimented her "sweet" voice. He then subtlely steered the conversation in a more sexual direction by asking if she did what she was told and asking her if she was "a good girl." Josh went on to ask of there were "limits" when the decoy asked what he wanted to do with her. He left his intentions relatively vague before abruptly making it clear he wanted to ask "sex questions," asking the decoy if she ever had sex with men or women before, if she watched pornography, if she masturbated, if she'd ever experienced an orgasm, if she ever received spankings on her birthday, and even what kind of bed she had, proclaiming he would lay on it to "try it out." He requested she wear a miniskirt and tied her hair up into a ponytail when they met, saying they would "go from there." The decoy finally ended the conversation after 48 minutes, using the excuse that she would let Josh know when her grandmother was leaving.

Shockingly, the following evening at 9:00pm, Josh sent a text to the decoy saying that he was in her area. Taken aback, the decoy referred to Josh's actions as "creepy," bringing up the fact he told her how to dress and was showing up unannounced. Josh admitted that the reason he came unannounced was because he was high, not thinking clearly about showing up uninvited. Instantly recognising the sketchiness and potential danger of the situation, the decoy pressed Josh for details, with him admitting that he was "hitting the bong" before he left. When Josh claimed that he simply wanted to "go with the flow," the decoy reminded him that she was a virgin and played dumb, not understanding what "go with the flow" was supposed to mean. Perhaps to avoid showing intent, Josh remained vague about what he planned on doing with the decoy. She reminded him she was 14 and wanted to know what to expect. Josh then declared that he wanted to play the nervous game, a creepy sex game where someone touches another person on the arm and moves until saying "stop." The winner is the person who goes longest without saying stop. If Josh wins, he gets to spank the decoy. If the decoy wins, Josh allows the deocy to perform oral sex on him after he eats her out. Josh then showed concern that police may be waiting for him after the decoy agreed to tell him her address.

## Arrest

Perhaps due to being so high, Josh struggled to find the trailer, even when the decoy stood outside to shine her phone light to get his attention. Despite boasting a blossoming romance with the decoy, Josh was pulled over and very aggressively ordered out of his vehicle by the police, with one of them referring to him as "motherfucker." This was likely due to the potential danger he posed as a person under the influence. Josh told the police he wasn't planning on doing anything, which the deputy seating him in the back of a police car instantly dismissed.

## Chris Hansen confrontation

As soon as Chris Hansen walked in to interview Josh, he told Hansen (with his head hanging low in shame) he was doing something "stupid" and denied ever chatting to a minor before. When asked why he did it, Josh attributed it to being bored and wanting to kill time. Chris instantly went into the chat, which Josh brushed off as "bullshit." Chris reminded Josh that the decoy told him she was fourteen. Josh claimed that the reason his chat became graphic was because the decoy would dodge his questions if he tried talking about normal things. He then asked if the cameras had to be in the room during the interview, to which Hansen replied that they did. Hansen asked Josh about the nervous game, with Josh denying even knowing what it really was. Hansen refuted this by reading Josh's own words explaining how the game worked, with Josh once again using his "bullshitting around" excuse.

Hansen asked why Josh would have the audacity to show up uninvited, with Josh explaining that he took the decoy agreeing to sex as a sign to come over. When Hansen asked Josh if he had impulse control problems, Josh didn't understand what that meant, but partly agreed when Hansen explained it. After Hansen passively went over the chat log some more, Josh once again tried to explain himself by saying he wasn't going to do anything, and that he just wanted to play cards and watch a movie with the girl. Hansen once again refuted his lies by reading out some of the more graphic things Josh said when doubling down on his sex talk with the decoy. Hansen acknowledged that Josh brought everything that the decoy asked for, further showing his intent to molest the child. Josh then revealed he had a girlfriend who coincidentally liked the candy Josh brought for the decoy. He then admitted his girlfriend would probably leave him after finding out he was booked. He then revealed he did construction work for Disney, admitting they probably wouldn't want him around.

When Hansen asked what Josh thought should happen to him, Josh said he didn't know, realising he should've gone home. Hansen asked Josh what he thought would've happened if there was a real child present, but Josh denied that he would have had sex with the girl, claiming he "would've left before then." He once again denied ever having done such a thing before, looking Hansen in the eyes as he told him. He acknowledged he "screwed up [his] life" before Hansen revealed who he was and that Josh was involved in a television investigation. Hansen then allowed Josh to leave and return to his cell.

## Aftermath

Josh was charged with three felonies; Attempted Lewd Behaviour, Unlawful Use of Two-Way Communication, and Travelling to Meet a Minor. He pleaded not guilty and had a pre-trial conference on January 12th.