BEDFORD – A four-month investigation conducted by detectives from the Indiana State Police’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit and ICAC Task Force has resulted in the arrest of a Bedford man on charges related to possession of child sexual abuse materials.
Landon S. Staggs, 24, of Bedford, was arrested on Tuesday, December 17th, after voluntarily surrendering to the Lawrence County Jail following the issuance of an arrest warrant.
ICAC Detective Robert Whyte initiated the investigation in September after he received a cybertip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). NCMEC is a private, non-profit organization providing services nationwide to families and law enforcement officials relating to the prevention of abduction and sexual exploitation of children. According to the cybertip report, PlayStation advised they had located child pornography on a user’s account.
During the investigation, Detective Whyte identified Staggs as the suspect. A search warrant was executed at Staggs’ residence in Lawrence County, and the ICAC Task Force, which included detectives from the Indiana State Police, officers from the Ellettsville Police Department, a forensic examiner from the Monroe County High Tech Crime Laboratory, special agents from the United States Secret Service, and forensic examiners from ISP’s Digital Forensics Unit seized electronic and digital media devices.
During forensic examinations, evidence of child sexual abuse files were located. Detective Whyte requested an arrest warrant for Staggs, and he was arrested for the following charges:
- Six counts of Possession of Child Pornography (victim age under 12), a Level 5 Felony
The Indiana ICAC Task Force is a multiagency task force that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to exploit or entice children sexually. The Indiana State Police oversees the task force.
The Indiana ICAC Task Force encourages Hoosiers to report online exploitation, solicitation, and enticement-type crimes against children to NCMEC. The NCMEC website can be accessed through the ICAC Task Force website. To report a crime with your child as a victim involving the Internet or other electronic means, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your local Indiana law enforcement agency.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
