By Sgt. Carey Huls, Public Information Officer, Indiana State Police Sellersburg District
Washington County – A Cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) led to the arrest of a Salem, Indiana 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 November 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 Wednesday, August 14, 2024, members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at a Pilgrim Way address in Salem, Indiana.
As a result of the investigation and search, Troopers arrested 52-year-old Jim Dean Cozart for four counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Each count is a level 4 Felony. Troopers arrested Cozart following the investigation and transported him to the Washington County 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/