The Mod Nobody Vetted: How a Convicted Child Sex Offender Quietly Ran Reddit’s Biggest ‘Trans’ Communities

Three of Reddit’s largest transgender-focused subreddits were being overseen by a convicted sex offender — and when other moderators found out, at least one of them allegedly worked to keep him in place.

The offender, Branden Michael Dunleavy, operated under the usernames Brynn and u/ranshin-da-anarchist.

His criminal background remained unknown to the general user base of the communities he helped manage until investigative outlet Reduxx published its findings, setting off a wave of backlash across the platform.

Dunleavy has since deleted his Reddit account entirely.

The moderator accused of attempting to protect his position, known on the platform as Cedarwolf, has not publicly addressed the allegations against him.

The South Carolina Sex Offender Database lists Dunleavy as convicted under state code § 16-15-410, the statute addressing Third Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

That law targets individuals who knowingly possess material — photographs, videos, or digital files — depicting minors engaged in sexual activity or sexually explicit nudity.

In plain terms, the statute is aimed at child pornography possession.