(UNDATED) – On Thursday, Indiana State Police troopers from the Bloomington District concluded a lengthy investigation into reports of child solicitation.
Five people, who were residing in four different counties across the state, were arrested on felony charges of child solicitation.
The investigation began in early December when an Indiana State Trooper received information from a concerned citizen in Lawrence County about multiple adult males who had allegedly solicited an individual, who they believed to be a 15-year-old girl, to commit sexual acts with them.
The trooper launched five separate investigations and worked closely with the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office throughout the investigation.
The detailed investigations included numerous search warrants and analysis of electronic communications between the suspects and victim.
Once the investigations were completed, they were reviewed by the Lawrence County Prosecutor Samuel Arp III, and Deputy Prosecutor Allison Chopra, and then submitted to the Lawrence County Superior Court 1. Judge John Plummer III determined that probable cause existed for the arrest of the five males and warrants were issued for their arrests.
In addition, search warrants were issued for the men’s residences and electronic devices.
On Thursday evening, Indiana State Police and the Bloomington District A.C.E.S. (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Section), along with ISP troopers assigned to Lawrence County, and members of the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office successfully served the five arrest and search warrants simultaneously across the area.
The evidence seized during these search warrants is being analyzed for the possibility of other offenses.
All five men were arrested without incident on a felony charge of child solicitation and were transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
Arrested were:
“Without a doubt, this investigation has saved young girls in our community from becoming victims to such alleged predators.” said ISP Sgt. Greg Day.
Sgt. Day reminds all parents that these dangers are ever-present and a real threat to our vulnerable youth. He encourages parents to monitor closely the types of apps and the communications that their children are taking part in on social media.
