Sheriff Mike Carothers has announced that Reserve Deputy Scott Davis has been appointed to serve on the Indiana Sheriff’s Association Youth Leadership Camp Committee.  Davis was appointed to that committee by Indiana Sheriff’s Association President, Tim Troyer of Steuben County.

Davis has served as a camp counselor and instructor at the youth leadership camps since 1991.  Davis is the only reserve deputy in the state of Indiana to be appointed to the 26 person committee.

The camp program is designed to achieve three basic objectives. First, the sheriffs want to foster a stronger relationship between our state’s youth and the men and women who enforce the laws. Second, the sheriffs want to give children, who ordinarily would not have the opportunity, a chance for a summer camp experience. Third, to give youth a chance to build character and inspire leadership skills.

Sheriffs and deputies spend a great deal of time with the kids. Many of the deputies conduct demonstrations in the fields of boat and water safety, K-9 demonstrations, defensive tactics and leadership skills, just to mention a few.

As part of the program’s emphasis on youth development and good citizenship, guest lecturers, who provide informative programs on how our government works and why our laws exist, are enlisted to speak to the campers. Other programs are geared to teach the campers of drug and alcohol abuse. It is the sheriff’s goal to teach every child a healthy respect for our laws and our democratic process.

The sheriff’s association has two camps for youth to attend.  One in northern Indiana and one in southern Indiana.  Davis will attend the Indiana Sheriff’s Association’s Southern Youth Leadership Camp at Camp Waycross in Brown County July 9th – 11th.  Campers from Jackson County attend the camp at no cost to them.

Last night at 8:30, Indiana State Police Trooper Michael Organ stopped a passenger car southbound on 7th near Washington Street (Terre Haute) for operating with no headlights. 

During conversations with the driver and along with other observations, a search of the vehicle was conducted. Trace amounts of suspected marijuana were found in the passenger compartment and (20) bags of suspected marijuana were found in the vehicle’s trunk.  

The seized material field tested positive for marijuana and the total weight of the (20) bags of marijuana was approximately 1 ¼ pound. 

The driver, 21-year-old Damond De-Angelo Cobb Jr. of Indianapolis, IN. was taken into custody and incarcerated in the Vigo County Jail. Cobb was preliminarily charged with Dealing Marijuana (felony) and Possession of Marijuana (felony). 

A male passenger was not charged and released from the scene.

Assisting were ISP Trooper Courtland Woodruff. 

Pictures attached of Cobb and Marijuana. 

Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg just completed a six month assessment on the initiated crackdown of drug dealers and drug related crimes and problems in our district, which includes, Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott and Washington Counties.

The assessment includes only the numbers from the “All Crimes Policing Team” at the Sellersburg Post which consists of eight troopers and a sergeant. All the other drug related arrests and drug seizures from regular road troopers and detectives are not included.

During the six month period which ended in January, the All Crimes Policing Troopers from the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg have arrested 164 persons for drug related crimes and those persons have been charged with 508 different criminal charges.

During these arrests troopers have seized nearly one pound and four ounces of Methamphetamine, 20 grams of Heroin, 253 pounds of Marijuana, 13.8 grams of Cocaine and 133 different types of prescription pills. These seizures amount to a staggering $218,380.00 approximate street value.

We are releasing these numbers for two reasons. One, to let the drug dealer know to stop business or leave town and secondly, to let the public know that the tips we are receiving from them are a tremendous help in our fight against illegal drug trafficking.

As we continue to fight the drug war, we need the public’s help. Please contact the Indiana State Police Post at Sellersburg with your drug tips. The number is 812-246-5424 and in Indiana only at 1-800-872-6743. You can also send tips via Facebook to Sgt. Jerry Goodin Indiana State Police Sellersburg. All tips can remain anonymous.

United States Attorney Josh Minkler announced today a Dearborn County, Indiana, man who was on parole of a previous conviction on child pornography charges, was sentenced for possession of child pornography.

Wayne D. Brown 48, Aurora, was sentenced to 135 months (over 11 years) imprisonment by U. S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt late last week. 

“This Office has sent a consistent message when it comes to child pornography and the re-victimization of our children,” said Minkler. “Child Pornography is child abuse, and individuals who continue to traffic in child abuse imagery will go to prison.”

According to court records, Brown was on Indiana parole for convictions of Possession of Child Pornography and Child Exploitation in Dearborn County from 2007. Following his prison sentence, Brown signed a condition of parole release agreement, allowing for reasonable visitation to his residence by the Indiana Department of Correction, no out-of-state travel, no on-line computer access, no alcohol use and no possession of obscene material.

Less than 3 months after his release from prison, on December 15, 2016, Brown met his parole officer and was confronted about being out of state without authorization. Later that evening, Indiana parole agents then conducted an unannounced home visit at Brown’s residence and removed an internet-enabled cell phone and a laptop computer. An examination of the devices revealed large quantities of child pornography, including images of infants and toddlers and other pre-pubescent children being sexually abused.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dearborn County Prosecutor’s Office, the Indiana State Police Cyber Crimes Unit and Indiana State Parole.

“The FBI investigates all child pornography cases with a sense of urgency due to the extreme vulnerability of the victims involved – our children,” said Robert Alex Middleton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “This case demonstrates our commitment, and that of our law enforcement partners, to protect those who can’t protect themselves and ensure those who would harm them are brought to justice.”

“Mr. Brown’s repeated criminal acts demonstrate that he cannot be free in society,” said Dearborn County Prosecutor Lynn Deddens. “Thank you to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting the case and leveraging additional penalties available under federal law that do not exist under our state criminal code. Brown’s deviant acts, that were investigated by county, state and federal law enforcement officials working hand in hand led to his arrest. Because of this teamwork, we have one more perpetrator incarcerated and one less person committing child abuse.”      

“This case is an example of the diligent efforts of Indiana State Parole Agents. Here, we had an officer who took his responsibility to protect the community seriously, and once he detected violations by the defendant, he acted immediately. It was his quick search of the defendant’s residence that uncovered the defendant’s repeated crimes against children,” said Minkler.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Kristina M. Korobov who prosecuted this case for the government, Brown must serve 10 additional years of supervised release after his prison sentence.

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 demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to utilize and partner with law enforcement agencies to prosecute individuals engaged in the sexual exploitation of children. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan  Section 4.2.