INDIANAPOLIS -- Randolph County authorities say a social media sting looking for adults seeking out juveniles online led them to a Winchester man with thousands of images of child pornography.
A detective with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department visited the home of Rodney Lee Baker in Winchester, Indiana, on Wednesday after Baker allegedly sent and requested nude photos from the profile of a 15-year-old girl online.
During an interview, Baker reportedly gave police consent to search his cellphone, whereupon they allegedly discovered several pictures depicting “obviously young children in a fully nude state.”
Investigators then obtained a search warrant for Baker’s residence, where they reportedly recovered five more cellphones along with notebooks containing web addresses to child pornography sites. On the phones, police allegedly discovered thousands of pornographic images of children as well as photographic evidence of Baker involved in “activities that would turn into multiple child molestation investigations.”
As a result of the investigation, Baker was taken into custody on preliminary charges of attempted child solicitation and possession of child pornography.
Police said additional charges are likely in the case. Federal authorities were also contacted to determine whether the case should be prosecuted at the state or federal level.
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