A Cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) led to the arrest of a Washington County man for possession of child pornography.  

As a result of the investigation and search, Troopers arrested 30-year-old Matthew Reid for five counts of Possession of Child Pornography.

Each count is a level 4 Felony. 

Troopers arrested Reid following the investigation and transported him to the Washington Couty Jail without incident. 

Investigators requested a search warrant based on information gathered during the investigation.

As a result, on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at a School Road address (Scottsburg) in eastern Washington County. 

Detectives with the Indiana State Police – Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force in Sellersburg began an investigation in April 2023 after receiving a cyber tip report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The cyber tip report indicated that a specific account was possibly used to transmit child pornography images or video files.  

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, and 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 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.

 ICAC Taskforce website: https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Milestone Contractors is scheduled to temporarily close S.R. 56 in Salem for road reconstruction work.

This is expected to be the final layer of asphalt and one of the final stages of the project that began in March 2022 and originally scheduled to be completed in November 2023.

On or after Tuesday, October 10, crews will close S.R. 56 between the intersection of S.R. 135 and S.R. 60 in Salem to lay surface mix.

Work is expected to take up to three days, weather permitting.

Access to all properties will be maintained while work is in progress.

The official detour will follow S.R. 135 to U.S. 150 to S.R. 56

The $13.2 million reconstruction project was awarded to Milestone Contractors LP.

The closure first involved the intersection of Main and Hackberry Streets and moved west, where the bridge over Brock Creek was removed and totally rebuilt. 

That section of the road was opened in May to allow traffic through the area up to North Harrison Street. 

About that time, work began moving west to the bridge over Highland Creek. 

In all, about 1.5 miles of roadway, curbs and sidewalks have been reconstructed along with sewer and utility improvements.

INDOT reminds motorists to slow down, use caution and drive distraction-free in and near work zones.

All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on October 4, 2023, at 2:20p EST.  

The national test will consist of testing both WEA and EAS capabilities. 

FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with EAS participants, wireless providers, emergency managers, and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and to maximize the public safety value of the test.

The purpose of the test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. 

The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cell phones.  The test message will display in either English or in Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset. All wireless phones should receive the message only once. 

• For consumers, the message that appears on their phones will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

• Phones with the main menu set to Spanish will display: “ESTA ES UNA PRUEBA del Sistema Nacional de Alerta de Emergencia. No se necesita acción.”

Important information about the EAS test:

• The EAS portion of the test is scheduled to last approximately one minute and will be conducted with the participation of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers.

• The test message will be similar to the regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar. It will state: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”

On Friday, September 29, 2023, Tracy and Matthew Davenport, owners of Davenport Extreme Pools and Spas in Louisville, Kentucky, turned themselves into the Floyd County Jail on warrants issued for their arrest following an investigation by a Detective with the Indiana State Police Special Investigations Section.

On September 29, 2023, Both Tracy and Matthew Davenport turned themselves into the Floyd County Jail for the following charges: 

1. Corrupt Business Influence (2 counts) – Level 5 Felony 
2. Theft (3 counts) – Level 5 Felony 
3. Fraud (3 counts) – Level 5 Felony
4. Theft (1 count) – Level 6 Felony 
5. Fraud (1 count) – Level 6 Felony 

Tracy Davenport was released on a $20,000 bond, while Matthew Davenport was released on a $10,000 bond. 

The charges and dollar amounts practically mirror those of the Clark County charges the couple was arrested on earlier last week.  

In July of this year, the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office contacted Detective Tim Denby about an ongoing investigation into Davenport Extreme Pools after discovering additional victims in Clark County.

The cases involved victims paying the Davenports to construct private pools that were never built.

Davenport Extreme Pools filed for bankruptcy shortly after signing contracts and receiving the payments.

Detective Denby assumed the investigation in Clark County but also learned of victims in Floyd County, Indiana.

Detective Denby contacted four separate victims in Floyd County, and in each situation, the victims had paid Davenport Extreme Pools large down payments to construct inground pools.

After completing the Floyd County investigation, Detective Denby determined that, in total, the victims paid almost $246,000 to Davenport Extreme Pools and Spas during 2021 and 2022.

As in the Clark County case, construction work has yet to begin in any of the cases.  

After completing his investigation, Detective Denby turned his findings over to the Floyd County Prosecutor’s Office.

This investigation is ongoing.

Any Indiana resident who believes they may have been a victim associated with this case is encouraged to contact the Indiana State Police in Sellersburg.  

Today, at approximately 12:50 p.m., officers from the Indiana State Police and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to a three-vehicle crash near the intersection of State Road 37 and County Road 900 S., in which a Mitchell, IN, woman died.

The preliminary crash investigation by Master Trooper Detective John Yung revealed that Debra Jean, 64, Mitchell, IN, was driving a 2011 Chevrolet passenger car traveling south on State Road 37 approaching a sweeping curve to the right.

Joseph Dosier was traveling north on State Road 37 rounding the curve to the left.

Dosier was driving a 2020 Peterbilt tractor-trailer.

Jean traveled left of center and struck the left tandem axles of the semi-trailer Joseph Dosier was pulling. Jean’s vehicle then struck a 2023 Peterbilt semi-tractor head-on that Sidney Dosier was driving.

Dosier’s semi slid off the east side of the highway with the trailer blocking the northbound lane. Jean’s vehicle came to rest off the west side of the highway, down an embankment.

The roadway remained closed for several hours while personnel cleared the scene of the vehicles and debris. 

Jean was pronounced dead at the scene by the Orange County Coroner. 

Dosier was taken to I.U. Health Bedford Hospital for observations. 

This is an ongoing investigation.

At this time, there is no further information to release.

Alcohol or drugs were not believed to be a factor. Notification to the family of the deceased has been made.

Detective Yung was assisted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Paoli Police Department, and Orange County Rural District Two Fire Department.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Department has made an arrest in connection to a string of burglaries at the Red Dot Storage Facilities at 8551 Commerce Park Drive in Sellersburg.

According to Assistant Chief Mark Grube, over the past few weeks there have been multiple burglaries at the Red Dot Storage Facility on Commerce Park Drive. 

A dedicated team at the sheriff’s department has been actively investigating these incidents, Grube said. 

Andrew King, 34, Jeffersonville was identified as a primary suspect and taken into custody for a variety of offenses, including burglary, theft, residential entry and criminal mischief. 

Sheriff Scottie Maples Jr. wishes to commend the tireless efforts of his detectives who have been diligently working on this case.

“Their commitment to the safety and security of our community is unwavering,” said Maples. “During the investigation, detectives recovered a large portion of the stolen property.”

Maples asks the public to continue submitting tips regarding criminal activity in the community. 

“Your vigilance and willingness to help are critical in maintaining our area’s safety and security. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty,” Maples said.