JASPER — Two Huntingburg residents are behind bars facing multiple felony charges, including child molesting, following a swift joint investigation by local law enforcement and child safety advocates.
The suspects have been identified as 35-year-old Garrett Jaquett and 22-year-old Desiree Wagner, both of Huntingburg. The case against the pair began on June 12, 2026, when the Huntingburg Police Department launched an inquiry in conjunction with the Southwest Indiana Child Advocacy Center (CAC).
Following their arrests, both individuals made their initial court appearances on Monday, June 15, 2026, before Judge Nathan Verkamp in the Dubois Circuit Court, where the formal state charges were read against them.
Court records show that while both co-defendants face a primary count of Child Molesting, prosecutors have leveled a wide array of additional distinct charges tailored to each individual’s alleged actions during the incident.
In addition to child molesting, Garrett Jaquett faces preliminary counts of:
- Attempted Child Molesting
- Performing Sexual Conduct in the Presence of a Minor
- Intimidation
- Attempted Sexual Battery
- Theft
Desiree Wagner faces a similarly severe slate of additional preliminary counts, including:
- Attempted Child Molesting
- Performing Sexual Conduct in the Presence of a Minor
- Intimidation
- Dissemination of Matter Harmful to Minors
- Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor
Under Indiana law, Child Molesting is categorized as a high-level felony. Depending on the age of the victim and the specific nature of the acts involved, convictions for Level 1 or Level 2 felonies in Indiana carry mandatory, long-term prison sentences ranging up to 40 years.
Current Detention Status
Following their initial hearings on Monday, the court set individual bonds for both suspects. Jaquett and Wagner are currently being held on $125,000 cash-only bonds at the Dubois County Security Center in Jasper.
The investigation remains active. Local authorities credit the specialized resources of the Southwest Indiana Child Advocacy Center—which provides a safe, neutral environment for interviewing children who may have experienced abuse—with assisting detectives in quickly securing the evidence necessary to file formal charges.
All criminal charges are strictly allegations, and both defendants are legally presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
