Randolph County – Members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force served a search warrant this morning following a lengthy investigation involving a Parker City, Indiana, resident and the possession of child pornography.
Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, forensic examiners from the Indiana State Police Digital Forensics Unit, and troopers from the Pendleton District, with the assistance of the Randolph County Prosecutors Office, executed the search warrant at 539 W High Street in Parker City.
Detectives from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force initiated the investigation on September 26th, 2024, after receiving cybertips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). During the three-month investigation, the task force identified the suspect as Dustin Paul Covert, 32, of Parker City.
Dustin Paul Covert was arrested and transported to the Randolph County Jail, where he is preliminarily charged with:
- Indiana Code: 35-42-4-4(d), Possession of child Pornography; Level 5 Felony
- Indiana Code: 35-42-4-4 (e)(1)(F), Possession of Child Pornography, possession child pornography depicting child under 12 years old; Level 4 Felony.
- Indiana Code: 35-42-4-4 (1) (D) Possession of Child Pornography, possession child pornography depicts physically or verbally resists participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident – Level 4 Felony.
- 35-42-4-4 (e)(1)(E) Possession of Child Porngraphy, possession child pornography receives a bodily injury while participating in the sexual conduct, matter, performance, or incident – Level 4 Felony.
- 35-42-4-4 (e)(2) Possession of Child Porngraphy, knowingly or intentionally disseminates, exhibits to another person, offers to disseminate or exhibit to another person, or sends or brings into Indiana for dissemination or exhibition – Level 4 Felony.
The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is a multiagency task force that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. 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. 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. To report a crime with your child as a victim involving the internet or other electronic means, please contact your local Indiana law enforcement agency.
ICAC Task Force website: https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/
Under the law, criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
SOURCE: Indiana State Police
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