In September of 2023, investigators with the Howard County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force began an investigation after receiving eight CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) pertaining to Child Pornography/Child Exploitation.
The CyberTips were generated by Google and included 130+ files depicting child sexual abuse material. Through the investigation, it was determined that 41-year-old Justin Beatty of Kokomo, Indiana, was the Google user suspected of uploading the content.
On the morning of October 30, a search warrant was obtained for the 700 block of Santa Fe Boulevard, Kokomo. Investigators with the Howard County Sheriff’s Office were assisted by the Kokomo Police Department and the Indiana State Police ICAC division. During the search, numerous electronic devices which were seized from the residence with at least one device containing media files confirmed to be child sex abuse material. As a result, Justin Beatty was taken into custody for eight counts of Possession of Child Pornography, a Level 6 Felony.
This case remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information on this case or any others is urged to contact the Howard County Sheriff’s Task Force Unit by calling our tip line at 765.614.3372 or by email to taskforce@howardcountyin.gov.
This investigation was conducted by Investigator Kysha Quirk, an affiliated member of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The Indiana ICAC is a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse.
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.