Formal charges filed in Randolph County child porn case
WINCHESTER, Ind. — Formal charges have been filed against a Winchester man arrested last week as a result of an Indiana State Police child pornography investigation.
Robert E. Puckett Jr., 44, is charged in Randoph Superior Court with three counts of possession of child pornography, two Level 5 felonies carrying maximum six-year prison terms and one Level 6 felony with a maximum 30-month sentence.
A raid was conducted Thursday at Puckett's home in the 400 block of North West Street.
In an affidavit, Charles Meyer, an ISP detective, reported the investigation leading to the charges against the Winchester man began last July.
The document contained grim descriptions of videos and images showing children being sexually abused.
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Myer wrote that a computer hard drive recovered from Puckett's home contained about 50,000 images, many of them showing "unknown children in various stages of undress."
Judge Dale Arnett granted a request from Randolph County Prosecutor David Daly's office that Puckett be held in the Randolph County jail without bond for 15 days. After March 18, he will be held under a $1,600 cash bond.
At an initial hearing on Friday, Arnett set the Winchester man's trial for July 19.
According to the affidavit, participants in last week's raid included representatives of state police and an ISP SWAT team, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Howard County sheriff's deputies and Winchester police.
At the time of last week's arrest, Puckett already faced a count of battery against a public safety official, pending in Randolph Superior Court since February 2021.
According to court records, Puckett last year pleaded guilty, but mentally ill, to criminal recklessness and two counts of invasion of privacy.
His record also includes convictions for crimes including battery resulting in bodily injury and harassment.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Winchester man formally charged in ISP child porn investigation
