United States Attorney Josh Minkler announced today Adrian Grisanti, 46, of Louisville, Kentucky, was convicted on Thursday, April 19, 2018, on twenty counts related to child pornography and one count of destroying evidence after a four-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt in New Albany, Indiana.

Grisanti was a member of a darknet web community that catered in images and videos of child pornography. After the website was discovered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the FBI was able to identify hundreds of members worldwide, including Grisanti. 

Acting on this information, the FBI executed search warrants at Grisanti’s office and home in August of 2015. After Grisanti’s attempt to conceal his crimes by destroying the hard drive of the computer which was used to obtain the child pornography, the FBI and Indiana State Policebegan a painstaking forensic investigation which ultimately led to the arrest and conviction of Grisanti.

The conviction included eleven counts of receiving child pornography, eight counts of accessing computer files with the intent to view child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of destroying evidence.

“Defendants can no longer hide behind the dark web and expect to elude federal law enforcement,” said Minkler. “Those who prey on the most vulnerable of our citizens, the ones who cannot fend for themselves, can expect to be held accountable and face the federal hammer of justice.”

“This verdict demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating cases of child pornography with a sense of urgency to protect children from those who engage in this type of activity,” said Robert Middleton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “The teamwork between our agents and state law enforcement partners ensured there is one less predator victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community.”

“There are few things more upsetting than knowing innocent children continue to be victimized by people who engage in such depraved criminal acts,” said Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter. “I’m very grateful to our dedicated detectives and the strong partnership we have with our federal partners that help bring these criminals to justice and remove them from society.”

According to Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley P. Shepard and Steven D. DeBrota, Grisanti faces between 5-20 years in prison on each count of receiving child pornography, up to 10 years in prison on each count of accessing computer files with intent to view child pornography, up to 20 years for possessing child pornography, and up to 10 years for destroying his hard drive.

In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution sentencing demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to detect and prosecute matters involving sexual exploitation of children, (See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan, Section 5.3)

Yesterday, shortly after 8:00 am, the Indiana State Police and Jennings County Sheriff’s Department responded to a two vehicle crash on State Road 7 that claimed the life of a Scipio man and sent a Scipio woman to an Indianapolis hospital with serious injuries.

The initial investigation by the Indiana State Police-Versailles Crash Reconstruction Team indicated that a white 2010 Kia SUV being driven by Justin T. Spears, age 24, Scipio, Indiana was traveling southbound on County Road 700 West at State Road 7.  

Spears vehicle entered State Road 7 into the path of a northbound 2000 Mack dump truck being driven by Levi G. Horton, age 24, Seymour, Indiana.  Horton attempted to take evasive action but was unable to avoid Spears’ vehicle.  Horton’s vehicle collided with the driver side of Spears’ vehicle.

As a result of the collision, Spears sustained fatal injuries.  He was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Jennings County Coroner’s Office.  A passenger in Spears’ vehicle, Kaitlyn M. Lord, age 18, Scipio, Indiana sustained serious injuries.  She was flown from the scene to St. Vincent’s Hospital-Indianapolis for treatment of her injuries.  Horton was not injured in the collision.

State Road 7 was closed for nearly three hours for crash investigation and cleanup.

The crash remains under investigation.  Toxicology results are pending.

The Indiana State Police-Versailles Crash Investigation Team was assisted by the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department, Scipio-Geneva Fire Department, Jennings County EMS, the Jennings County Coroner’s Office, 31 Wrecker Service, and Clark’s Wrecker Service.

The 141st Salem High School Alumni Banquet will be held this Friday, April 27 at 7p in Brooks Memorial Gym.

The group will honor the Classes of 1968, 1993 and 2018. 

The speaker for the 50 year class will be Anne Cavanaugh Pritchett. 

The speaker of the 25 year class will be Jennifer (Jiffy) Thompson. 

Tickets are $15 each and are on sale at LaGene Jewelers and Lincks Clothing. 

For groups of 10 or more wishing to set together, contact Shirley Nale at 812.883.2176. 

Tickets can be ordered by mail. Send a self-addressed stamped envelope with a check made to Salem Alumni Association for the correct amount to Shirley Nale, 786 North Deer Run Road, Salem IN 47167 and the tickets will be mailed to you. 

ANNE CAVANAUGH PRITCHETT

Raised in Salem, Indiana by Martha Marks Cavanaugh and Harry Cavanaugh, Anne graduated from Salem High School in 1968. 

She enrolled at Indiana University Southeast and graduated with honors with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History. She then attended IU School of Law in Bloomington and was awarded her Juris Doctor Degree in 1976. 

Upon graduation, Anne’s first employer was a labor union in Evansville. She also worked for a law firm before opening her own practice. In 1984, she became the first woman appointed to the position of Hearing Member on the Industrial Board of Indiana (now the Workers Compensation Board). She worked as a private attorney until September 1997 when she was appointed as a US Administrative Law Judge. She heard and decided Social Security disability cases in that position until her retirement in late 2014. 

Anne has served on several different Boards of Directors, including the Evansville Bar Association, YMCA and Patchwork Central. She loves animals; she and her husband are active in Australian Shepherd rescue, having housed and fostered over 130 Aussies and helping transport many more to their new homes over the last 15 years. That love of animals has led her to volunteer at zoos, as well as journey to Africa to view exotic wildlife in their natural habitat. Although proud of her Indiana heritage, she has traveled widely throughout the world to explore and experience new cultures and ideas. 

She and her husband have one daughter, Shelley, who is a fine jewelry designer and goldsmith, and lives in Henderson, Kentucky and Palm Desert, California. 

JENNIFER (JIFFY) THOMPSON

Thompson is a 1993 graduate of Salem High School. Her academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science from Purdue University as well as a Master’s of Business Administration from Georgia State University. 

She is a strategic and results driven manufacturing executive with extensive expertise in food production and food safety regulations. 

She has worked for several top food companies including HJ Heinz, Smucker’s and Pillsbury, where she held numerous roles of increasing responsibility including Plant Manager. 

Jiffy has a proven aptitude for increasing efficiency, improving safety performance, generating cost savings and consistently exceeding customer expectations. 

Jiffy has volunteered for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Girls on the Run as well as the annual Food Science Day at Purdue University. 

She currently resides in Bellevue, OH with her husband, three dogs and three cats and two bonus kids. 

The Indianapolis Colts today announced its 2018 regular season schedule.

Along with their traditional matchups against AFC South Division opponents – Houston, Jacksonville and Tennessee – the Colts will face the AFC East and NFC East Divisions. Indianapolis also will host Cincinnati and travel to Oakland to face the Raiders.

In total, the Colts will face five playoff teams from the 2017 season, including Buffalo, Jacksonville, New England, Philadelphia and Tennessee. Indianapolis will play in one primetime game in 2018.

·         In Week 1, the Colts will host the Cincinnati Bengals. Indianapolis has a 17-11 overall regular season record against the Bengals and are 9-6 at home. Last season, the Colts traveled to Cincinnati in Week 8 and were defeated, 24-23. Tight end Jack Doyle set single-game career highs in receptions (12) and receiving yards (121) and added one touchdown reception.

·         Indianapolis will travel to Washington D.C. to face the Redskins in Week 2. The Colts own a 20-10 overall regular season series advantage over Washington and are 6-7 in the nation’s capital. The last contest between the teams was on Nov. 30, 2014, in the Circle City. Indianapolis won 49-27 as quarterback Andrew Luck completed 19-of-27 passes for 370 yards, a career-high five touchdowns and one interception for a 137.0 passer rating. Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton caught five passes for 62 yards and one touchdown.

·         In Week 3, the Colts will travel to Philadelphia to face the reigning Super Bowl champion Eagles. Indianapolis owns a 10-8 overall regular season series record against Philadelphia and are 5-5 on the road. In their last matchup on Sept. 15, 2014, the Colts were defeated, 30-27. Luck completed 20-of-34 passes for 172 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

·         Indianapolis will host the Houston Texans in Week 4. The Colts own a 14-2 record against the Texans in Indianapolis. The Colts won 13 consecutive home games against Houston from 2002 to 2014. In the 2017 regular season finale, Indianapolis defeated Houston at home, 22-13. Defensive tackle Hassan Ridgeway tallied a safety after forcing a sack while cornerback Quincy Wilson registered his first career interception.

·         In Week 5, the Colts will travel to New England to face the Patriots on Thursday Night Football. New England holds a 47-28 overall regular season series lead and are 25-12 at home against Indianapolis. The last regular season matchup between the teams came on Oct. 18, 2015, when the Patriots won, 34-27. Luck completed 30-of-50 passes for 312 yards and three touchdowns while Hilton caught six passes for 74 yards and one touchdown.

·         The Colts will travel to New York to face the Jets in Week 6. Indianapolis owns a 41-28 overall regular season series advantage and are 22-13 against the Jets in New York. The last time the teams squared off was in New York on Dec. 5, 2016, when Indianapolis won, 41-10. Luck completed 22-of-28 passes for 278 yards and four touchdowns for a 147.6 passer rating. He completed 78.6 percent of his passes which was the second-highest in a single game in his career.

·         In Week 7, Indianapolis will host the Buffalo Bills. The Colts trail the Bills in the all-time regular season series, 31-37-1 overall and are 18-14-1 at home, including winning the last five in the Circle City. In Week 14 of last season, Indianapolis and Buffalo played in blizzard conditions in New York. The teams combined for 390 net rushing yards and the Bills won in overtime, 13-7.

·         Indianapolis will travel to Oakland to play the Raiders in Week 8. Oakland leads the overall regular season series record at 8-6 and are 4-2 at home. The last time the teams squared off was on Dec. 24, 2016, in Oakland. The Raiders defeated the Colts, 33-25. Oakland quarterback Derek Carr completed 21-of-31 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns in the win. For the Colts, Hilton led all players with 105 receiving yards on four receptions.

·         Following a Week 9 bye, the Colts will host three consecutive home games.

·         In Week 10, Indianapolis will host the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Colts are 12-5 all-time against Jacksonville at home and 4-1 in their last five meetings in Indy. Last season, the Jaguars defeated Indianapolis 27-0 in Week 7. It marked Jacksonville’s first win in Indianapolis since 2012.

·         In Week 11, the Colts will host the Tennessee Titans. Indianapolis owns an 18-7 record against Tennessee in Indy and are 9-1 in the last 10 matchups at home. The Colts hosted the Titans in Week 12 of the 2017 season and lost, 20-16. Defensively, Indianapolis held Tennessee to nine net rushing yards in the first half.

·         Indianapolis will host the Miami Dolphins in Week 12. The Dolphins lead the overall regular season series record at 45-26, including a 22-14 record on the road. The last time the teams squared off was in Miami in 2016 when the Colts won, 18-12. Hilton led the Colts with four receptions for 64 yards.

·         In Week 13, the Colts will travel to Jacksonville. In Week 13 of the 2017 season, Indianapolis lost to the Jaguars in Florida, 30-10. Jacksonville has won their last three games as the home team against the Colts, including their 2016 victory at London’s Wembley Stadium as part of the UK International Series.

·         Indianapolis will travel to Houston in Week 14. The Colts are 11-5 all-time against the Texans in Houston and have won four of the last five road games. In 2017, Indianapolis defeated the Texans in Week 9, 20-14. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett registered his second career 300-yard passing game after completing 20-of-30 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Hilton compiled five receptions for 175 yards and two touchdowns. His 175 receiving yards were the third-highest in a single game in his career.

·         In Week 15, the Colts will host the Dallas Cowboys for the first time since the 2010 season. Dallas holds the overall regular season series lead at 10-5 and has won the last three matchups. In their last meeting on Dec. 21, 2014, the Cowboys were victorious at home, 42-7.

·         Indianapolis will host the New York Giants in Week 16. The date and time for the contest will be announced at a later date. The Colts hold a 9-6 overall regular season series advantage over the Giants, including wins in the last three contests. In their last matchup on Nov. 3, 2014, Indianapolis defeated New York, 40-24. Luck completed 25-of-46 passes for 354 yards and four touchdowns for a 108.4 passer rating.

·         The Colts will conclude the 2018 regular season in Nashville against the Titans in Week 17. Since 2009, Indianapolis has a 7-2 record in Tennessee. In 2017, the Colts were defeated by the Titans in Week 6 on ESPN’s Monday Night Football, 36-22. In the third quarter, outside linebacker John Simon registered his first career interception and returned it for a touchdown. He led the team with a career-high 11 tackles and added 1.0 sack.

This morning at 9:15 am, a trooper conducted a traffic stop on a 1999 Toyota Camry on U. S. #31 near Moonglo Road in Scott County. During the stop Indiana State Police K-9, Riggs indicated the presence of controlled substances in the vehicle. Troopers searched the vehicle finding Crystal Methamphetamine, Marijuana, Syringes and Paraphernalia.

Troopers arrested the driver, Corey Smith, 27 years of age, from Austin. He was charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of a Syringe, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Marijuana, Trafficking with an Inmate and Maintaining a Common Nuisance.

Two passengers were also arrested during the traffic stop, Brandon L. Bowman, 25 years of age, from Salem, IN, was charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of a Syringe, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Marijuana, and Visiting a Common Nuisance. The other passenger, Jesse D. Terry, 24 years of age, from Scottsburg, IN, was charged with Dealing in Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of a Syringe, Possession of Paraphernalia, Possession of Marijuana, Trafficking with an Inmate and Visiting a Common Nuisance.        

All of the arrested were incarcerated at the Scott County Jail.