Grant County police arrest 5 Indiana men on child solicitation charges

GRANT COUNTY, Ind. - Police in Grant County have arrested five men on child solicitation charges.




In a press release, the Grant County Sheriff's Office confirmed that it and the Marion Police Department arrested the following individuals:

• 28-year-old Isaiah Frye of Loogootee





• 42-year-old Johnathan Sasser of Anderson





• 39-year-old Joshua Stephen Keck of Frankton





• 38-year-old Teddy Lunceford of Elkhart





• 35-year-old Raul Escribano of Marion

Each of the arrestees face the same preliminary charge - child solicitation. In Indiana, child solicitation is a Level 5 Felony. The maximum penalty for a Level 5 Felony in the Hoosier State is a 6-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $10,000.




GCSO and MPD made the arrests with assistance from Predator Catchers Inc. Police described Predator Catchers Inc. as a "civilian organization focused on exposing individuals attempting to exploit minors online."




Predator Catchers Inc. posed as a 13-year-old girl during online conversations with the arrestees. During those conversations, Predator Catchers Inc. proposed meetups with the arrestees while posing as a 13-year-old.




Once the arrestees showed up at the proposed meetup locations, Predator Catchers Inc. notified law enforcement.




"Protecting our children is one of the most sacred responsibilities we have," Grant County Sheriff Del Garcia wrote in a prepared statement. "Thanks to the swift response of our deputies, the work of the Marion Police Department, and the alert from Predator Catchers Inc., these individuals were apprehended before any harm could be done. We will continue to pursue those who seek to prey on children and hold them accountable."




As of this article's publication, no additional information about the arrestees or the operations conducted to apprehend them had been made available.





via: https://fox59.com/news/grant-county-police-arrest-5-indiana-men-on-child-solicitation-charges/