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

Detectives with the Indiana State Police – Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force in Sellersburg began an investigation in July 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.  

Investigators requested a search warrant based on information gathered during the investigation. As a result, on Thursday, January 4, 2024, members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at an address (French Lick) in western Orange County.

As a result of the investigation and search, Orange County Deputies arrested 36-year-old Brandon Lee Alexander for five counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Each count is a level 5 Felony. 

On April 1, 2024, Deputies arrested Alexander following the investigation and transported him to the Orange Couty Jail without incident.   

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/

“All subjects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.”

The following road projects are planned by the Indiana Department of Transportation.

COMMISKEY PIKE

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor E&B Paving, Inc. is scheduled to close Commiskey Pike (E C.R. 50 N) over I-65 on or after Tuesday, April 9, to complete a bridge deck overlay in Jackson County.

The closure will take place just east of U.S. 31 and is expected to take up to 11 weeks, weather permitting. Crews will perform clearing work and begin to place signage in the area prior to the start of construction. During the closure, motorists should use the official detour route which follows U.S. 31 to N C.R.1240 E.

This project is part of a contract awarded to E&B Paving in October 2023. INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution and avoid distractions when traveling near work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

GNAW BONE

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor Dave O’Mara Contractors plans to conduct alternating lane closures along State Road 46 over Gnaw Bone Creek just west of Hoover Road beginning on or after Wednesday, April 10, to complete a bridge deck overlay project in Brown County.

The alternating lane closures will take place approximately 3.5 miles east of the S.R. 135 and S.R. 46 intersection and are expected to remain in place until late August, weather permitting. The planned lane closures will alternate between eastbound and westbound S.R. 46, while work is in progress. Temporary traffic signals will be utilized to conduct the planned lane closures. Crews will begin to place signage in the area prior to the start of construction. 

This project is part of a $1 million contract awarded to Dave O’Mara in August 2023. INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution and avoid distractions when traveling near work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

MONROVIA

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a temporary closure coming to State Road 42 between County Road 335 West (Everett Road) and C.R. 875 (Wellman Road) between Monrovia and Crown Center.

Beginning on or after Tuesday, April 9, crews will be closing this stretch of S.R. 42 to resurface the road and patch the asphalt.

The closure is expected to last through late fall but is weather permitting and subject to change.

The official detour around the closure is S.R. 42, to S.R. 39, to S.R. 142 to S.R. 42.

INDOT encourages all drivers to seek an alternate route, and avoid speeding and distracted driving in and around all work zones.

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor E&B Paving, Inc. is scheduled to close S.R. 60 approximately 3.5 miles west of Salem on or after Tuesday, April 9, to complete roadway and stormwater rehabilitation work in Washington County. 

The closure will take place between South Dog Trot Road and North Hammond Road just west of State Road 56 and is expected to be complete by late April, weather permitting.

Crews will begin to place signage in the area prior to the start of construction. During the closure motorists should use the official detour route, which follows S.R. 56 to S.R. 337 to S.R. 37 back to S.R. 60.

All truck/semi traffic should detour using S.R. 56 to S.R. 37 back to S.R. 60. 

This project is part of a $2.1 million contract awarded to E&B Paving in January 2023.

The contract includes a total of three projects located throughout Scott and Washington Counties. 

INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution and avoid distractions when traveling near work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.

The mother of a 5-year-old boy found in a suitcase almost two years ago had her initial hearing at 1:30p in Washington Circuit Court in front of Judge Larry Medlock.

Her erratic responses to Medlock about defending herself in her upcoming murder trial eventually led him to request a court-appointed public defender until she could prove she had the capability to do so on her own. 

Tuesday, Anderson advised the Court she will file an appearance for self representation and requested five days to prepare her argument to represent herself.

After making some odd statements during the hearing, Medlock advised that he was appointing a temporary public defender until she could provide evidence to the Court that she was cable of property representing herself. 

She also said she had been under surveillance by the NSA and followed by the Space Force. 

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for April 25 at 9:30a and a trial is tentatively set for August 6 at 8:30a. 

ANDERSON”S STATEMENTS DURING THE HEARING

Anderson was led into court at 1:30p Tuesday and initially responded to Judge Medlock’s request for her name and told the Court she was “Princess Califula Hohanatu Pahpay, the Second” and was “representing the entity of Dejaune Anderson.”

Medlock asked if she was Dejuane Anderson and she answered, “I’m representing the entity of Dejaune Anderson.”

Medlock asked her birthday and she said that she was born February 2, 1961, which would make her 63.

Police records indicate Anderson is 38. 

She said she did not have a social security number and said she had a Declaration of Nationality under the Indigenous People of the United Nations, Chapter 221593.

She listed her address as an apartment in North Hollywood, California. 

She was asked about her phone number and she said she wasn’t sure, but thought it was 747-724-2323 and said she was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

Medlock read her three charges of Murder, Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Death and Obstruction of Justice.

Medlock said the murder charge carried a range of imprisonment of between 45-65 years, with an advisory sentence being 55 years and up to a $10,000 fine.

He said Count 2 carried a range of between 20-40 years with an advisory sentence being 40 years with up to $10,000.

Count 3 could result in no time in jail if it’s treated as a misdemeanor, according to Medlock. 

Medlock asked Anderson if she understood the charges and potential penalties and she said yes. 

It was during this time, Anderson said she wanted to represent herself. 

“You understand if you do that, you are required to conduct yourself as a lawyer, Voir dire potential jurors, abide by the rules of evidence and the rules of procedure,” Medlock commented. 

Anderson responded that she had a master’s degree in history. 

“That’ doesn’t give you a law degree,” Medlock replied. 

Anders said she understand how to read procedures. 

“Just because you represent yourself, that doesn’t ensure yourself a good lawyer, you know?” Medlock said to Anderson. 

Anderson said, “That’s a personal opinion, but I understand.”

Medlock asked if she could afford an attorney. 

“It’s not that I can’t afford a lawyer, it’s that I want to do self representation because I understand the nature of the case and it’s my life on the line,” said Anderson.”I do understand that there are things involved in my case – the evidence that i hold as Q Classified evidence, which should be turned over to the Judge Advocate General courts immediately if possible. My case involves other cases that are open currently with JAG courts as well as other federal investigations which are open.”

Medlock told her, “If a Judge Advocate General approaches us, we will address it at that time.”

Medlock asked Hunt to address the issue of bond.

“Given the gravity of this case, first of all, I would like you to take additional notice of the probably cause affidavit that the state filed in support of these three charges that resulted in the arrest warrant,” said Hunt. “It’s also almost the 2-year mark of the little boy being found in the woods. The defendant has been a fugitive since that time, since her identification has been made. I think that raises any bond in a murder case to be something of utmost importance and should be of an amount that should be difficult if not impractical for her to be able to afford.”

Anderson objected during Hunt’s response. 

Medlock allowed Hunt to finish this address the defendant, “Ms. Anderson. You just made an objection. State the basis of your objection.”

“I am not a fugitive,” said Anderson. “I have been under NSA surveillance for 8 months. And how can that qualify me as a fugitive on the run when I’ve also had a detail from Space Force that has been following my every move.”

“That is not a valid legal objection,” Medlock responded. “If you want to represent yourself you’re going to have to learn the rules of evidence and the rules of procedure. Because if you conduct yourself like this and make these type of objections, you have no chance in the world, lady.  Objection overruled.” 

Medlock, however, allowed her to argue against the bond request.

“My argument is that I’ve been under surveillance by NSA for over 8 months,” Anderson reiterated. “I have a detail that follows me wherever I go from Space Force Military. I also contacted Indiana State…I think, it was a federal marshal…to have my location tracked to pick me up. There’s no type of extent of me running where I need this astronomical bond on my charges.”

Medlock repled, “Well, That’s sort of interesting, because it’s my understanding that Officer Busick has been in touch with almost everyone of those agencies and he hasn’t been able to identify your location until recently.”

Medlock made the decision not to issue a bond at this time and replied, “If Space Force comes forward and says they are able to monitor you, I’ll take that into consideration.”

Medlock ended the hearing and then re-opened it, after thinking about Anderson’s statements. 

“Based on what I just heard, i’m going to ask one of the members of the public defenders be assigned to represent Ms. Anderson. If she files a written request and demonstrates she has the ability to comprehend and understand to represent herself, I may ask him to withdraw and no longer require their services. I think it appropriate someone to be assigned at this particular time.”

The hearing was re-adjourned. 

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The first total solar eclipse in Southern Indiana since 1869 is just a week away and early forecasts are calling for 30-40 percent rain and some cloud cover. 

According to the Louisville National Weather Service office, a detailed forecast will be released later this week. 

According to NASA, Salem will be approximately 74 degrees, with a 50 percent chance of rain and a 72 percent cloud cover. 

You can track the timing of the Eclipse in your area from the NASA site – https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/where-when/

The time of the longest period of totality will be in Beal and Vincinnes Indiana and will be approximately 4 minutes and 5 seconds. 

The time of totality in Salem will be around 2 minutes or less. 

Other area cities and times of totality: 

• Bloomington – 4 minutes 2 seconds
• Bedford – 3 minutes 42.2 seconds
• Mitchell – 3 minutes 24.7 seconds
• Brownstown – 3 minutes 7.7 seconds
• Seymour – 3 minutes 6.9 seconds
• Paoli – 2 minutes 49.4 seconds
• Scottsburg – 54 seconds
• Pakin – No totality

The moon’s shadow will touch the edge of the sun around 1:49p. The shadow will be gone by 4:22p 

Total darkness begins in Salem at approximately 3:05:54p and ends at 3:08:15.

Be sure and wear approved eclipse glasses and only remove them when the sun is totally dark. When the sun is visible again, put your eclipse glasses back on. 

Below are official times, predicted weater and totality information for local areas:

This is the first total eclipse visible in the US since August 2017. 

The path of the eclipse this year will touch 13 US states and then move into Canada around 5:16p 

The next total eclipse will be on August 12, 2045 and will pass through the southern US states and for example, in Orlando, Florida, will be viewable for nearly 6 minutes of total darkness.