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Last updated on Tuesday, March 7, 2017
(MITCHELL) - A Mitchell man was arrested after police say he shared pornographic photos and videos through Facebook with a 15-year-old girl.
According to a Lawrence County Superior Court II probable cause affidavit, 42-year-old Patrick McDonald is also accused of having sex with the girl in December in addition to two other times after that. The incidents happened in McDonald's home on Tulip Street.
The investigation began after Indiana State Police Detective Kevin Getz learned that Facebook reported an incident involving child pornography and sexual enticement of a minor on January 13. Getz is assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Facebook provided the trooper with the images and video content that was sent by a 15-year-old girl to McDonald. Those images and video content contained nudity. The probable cause affidavit names the girl as "M.M." to protect her identity.
Indiana State Police obtained search warrants for McDonald's Facebook account and home in addition to the girl's Facebook account.
After searching McDonald's home, Getz interviewed McDonald who admitted that he started communicating with the girl in October 2016, then learned she was 15 years old in November. He also admitted to receiving photos and the video from the girl and admitted to sending her nude picture of himself.
He also admitted to having sex with the girl.
McDonald was arrested and is facing two felony charges of sexual misconduct with a minor, one felony count of possession of child pornography and one felony count of dissemination of matter harmful to a minor.
He is being held in the Lawrence County jail on a $20,000 surety, or $2,005 cash bond. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf by a court order public defender. His next court appearance is for a pre-trial on April 20.
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