Hartford City, Farmland men arrested in child sex abuse cases

Douglas Walker, Muncie Star Press
·2 min read
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MUNCIE, Ind. — Two East Central Indiana men — one from Hartford City, the other from Farmland — face charges stemming from allegations of child sexual abuse.

James Darrell Hatton, 44, of rural Hartford City, was charged last week in Blackford Circuit Court with child molesting, a Level 4 felony carrying up to 12 years in prison.

Blackford County sheriff's deputies allege Hatton sexually abused a pre-teen girl last week. He was apprehended Wednesday in Delaware County.

He declined to speak with deputies, but reportedly denied the allegations against him during an interview with a state Department of Child Services official.

Hatton continued to be held in the Blackford County jail on Monday.

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The Hartford City man was convicted of neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury in Delaware County in 2002. That case stemmed from broken ribs suffered by a male infant.

In Randolph County, Paiton R.J. Keener, 27, of Farmland, was charged last week, in Randolph Circuit Court, with attempted child molesting, child solicitation and performing sexual conduct in the presence of a minor.

Keener is accused of asking a 12-year-old girl to meet him in a park in Saratoga, a town of about 250 people seven miles northeast of Winchester.

Once in the park, according to a detective with the Randolph County Sheriff's Department, he allegedly exposed himself to the child and tried to persuade her to fondle him.

He is also accused of sending the juvenile lewd photos online.

The attempted molesting count against Kenner is a Level 4 felony. The solicitation charge is a Level 5 felony with a maximum six-year sentence.

In three cases already pending in Randolph Superior Court, Keener faces charges of battery resulting in bodily injury, invasion of privacy and driving while suspended.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter for The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Hartford City, Farmland men arrested in child sex abuse cases