Jay County men arrested in child-porn, solicitation investigations
PORTLAND, Ind. — A young Jay County man was charged this week with trying to arrange sex with a 13-year-old girl, while a Redkey man stands accused of possessing child pornography.
Brenton Blake Witt Jr., 19, of rural Portland, was charged Monday in Jay Circuit Court with child exploitation, a Level 4 felony carrying up to 12 years in prison.
According to Jay County sheriff's deputies, Witt believed he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl when he was actually exchanging Facebook messages with an undercover deputy.
He was arrested Jan. 30 after he came to a Portland convenience store, where he allegedly had planned to pick up the juvenile.
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Witt, released after posting bond at the Jay County jail, is scheduled to appear at an initial hearing on Feb. 21.
On Tuesday, Erik E. Caffey, 41, was charged, also in Jay Circuit Court, with possession of child pornography, a Level 4 felony with a maximum six-year sentnece.
A deputy on Feb. 4 served a search warrant at Caffey's rural Redkey home and confiscated his cellphone.
Upon searching the phone, the deputy reported "immediately" observing "numerous images and videos of what appeared to be child pornography.”
Those photos and videos reportedly showed juveniles between the ages of 2 and 16 engaging in sexual activity, in some cases with adults.
Caffey — also released after posting bond at the jail — appeared at an initial hearing on Tuesday.
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: Jay County men arrested in child-porn, solicitation investigations
