Indiana State Police Troopers arrested a 32-year-old Salem man on Tuesday for child molestation and several related felony charges in two southern Indiana Counties.
As a result of the investigation, ISP Detective Baker believed illegal contact occurred between a child in the Washington County School System and the adult male, 32-year-old James Crawford Jr. of Salem, in both Washington and Clark Counties over a period spanning several months.
After the initial investigation, Detective Baker requested arrest warrants for James Crawford Jr. for the following charges:
Crawford was charged in Washington County with the following crimes:
- Child Molesting – Level 1 Felony, two counts.
- Child Molesting – Level 4 Felony, one count.
- Tattooing a Minor – Class A Misdemeanor, one count.
Crawford was charged in Clark County with the following crimes:
- Child Seduction – Level 4 Felony, one count.
- Sexual Misconduct with a Minor – Level 4 Felony, one count.
- Child Solicitation – Level 4 Felony, one count.
The investigation began in February 2024 when a Washington County school system resource officer contacted Detective Travis Baker and advised a child in the school had possibly been molested by an adult male.
Baker immediately began an investigation, which included a sexual assault forensic examination at a local hospital.
The investigation also included a forensic interview conducted at a local child advocacy center in conjunction with a caseworker with the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Troopers served both warrants on Tuesday at the Washington County Jail, where James Crawford Jr. is incarcerated on unrelated charges.
Crawford is being held without bond in Washington County and has a $50,000 cash only bond on the Clark County charges.
