Indiana State Police investigation leads to two arrests related to child pornography

MITCHELL – Wednesday afternoon, at approximately 3:45 p.m., an Indiana State Police trooper located and arrested 28-year-old Leslie Winkler, a Mitchell resident, in Bloomington after an investigation led to a warrant for her arrest. 

Leslie Winkler

The investigation began on August 24, 2021, when the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Taskforce served search warrants at the home of Winkler and her husband Brennan Winkler in Mitchell.

Brennan Winkler

It was then that her husband, 26-year-old Brennan Winkler, was arrested on charges of child exploitation, 20 counts of possession of child pornography, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Further evidence seized by troopers while serving the search warrants led to an arrest warrant being issued by Lawrence County Superior Court II Judge Bob Cline Wednesday afternoon.

Troopers then arrested Leslie Winkler on five felony counts of possession of child pornography and a felony count of false informing.

Trooper Robert Whyte was assisted by Senior Trooper Allen Deel, Ben Burris, Sam Gillespie, along with the Lawrence County Prosecutors Office and the Indiana Department of Child Services.

Anyone having any information related to crimes against children is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency or visit the NCMEC website at http://www.missingkids.com/home and find the link to make a CYBERTIPLINE report.