LOOGOOTEE – Members of the Indiana State Police’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Digital Forensics Unit with assistance from the Martin County Sheriff’s Department and Loogootee Police Department served a search warrant at 604 North John F. Kennedy, apartment 14, in Loogootee, following an investigation into the possession of child pornography.
ICAC Detective Robert Whyte initiated the investigation in January 2023 after receiving several cyber tip reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The cyber tip reports indicated that an unknown individual was in possession of child sex abuse material (child pornography).
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing services nationwide to families and law enforcement officials relating to the prevention of abduction and sexual exploitation of children. Pursuant to its mission and congressional authorization (42 U.S.C. 5773), NCMEC operates the CyberTipline and the Child Victim Identification Program to provide assistance to law enforcement officials in its efforts to identify victims of child pornography and child sexual exploitation.
During the course of his investigation, Detective Whyte identified the suspect as 45-year-old Ryan Watkins, of Loogootee.
Detectives and Troopers located Watkins driving on US 50 and conducted a traffic stop. As a result, Watkins was arrested on three counts of possession of child pornography under the age of 12, a Level 5 felony, and transported to Martin County Jail.
Assisting ISP ICAC detectives and examiners from the Digital Forensics Unit with the residential search warrant were Troopers from the Jasper and Bloomington posts, Martin County Sheriff Department Officers, and Loogootee Police Department Officers.
Anyone having any information related to crimes against children is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency or visit the NCMEC website and find the link to make a CYBERTIPLINE report.
