In July of 2026, the Howard County Sheriff’s Office hosted a week-long, multi-agency undercover
online chat operation targeting individuals seeking to sexually exploit minors through internet-based
communications.
Participating agencies included the Howard County Sheriff’s Office Task Force Unit, the Kokomo
Police Department, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, the Indiana State Police, and the Department
of Homeland Security.
During the operation, investigators utilized undercover online personas portraying underage
individuals to identify persons attempting to engage in criminal activity involving minors. Throughout
the operation, numerous online conversations were initiated with individuals who believed they were
communicating with juveniles.
As a direct result of this operation, two individuals traveled to a predetermined meeting location with
the intent to engage in sexual acts with individuals they believed to be under the age of eighteen. Upon
arrival, both individuals were taken into custody without incident.
The Indiana ICAC Task Force encourages Hoosiers to report online exploitation, solicitation, and
enticement-type crimes against children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
(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, please contact your
local Indiana law enforcement agency. To learn more about the efforts of the Indiana ICAC, visit
https://internetcrimesagainstkids.com.
The Howard County Sheriff’s Office emphasizes that the filing of the information is merely an
allegation, and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The following individuals were arrested:
