DELAWARE COUNTY, Ind. — A Muncie man allegedly threw his phone at a parole officer after trying to destroy the device.
According to an affidavit for probable cause released Monday, Steven Matthew Beckley is a Lifetime Sex Offender Registrant. A deputy with the Delaware County Sheriff's Office was called to a residence in Muncie to investigate a conflict between Beckley and a parole officer.
Local dispatchers reported that the parole officer called them and claimed Beckley had threatened to shoot him, per court documents. When police arrived at the scene, they found Beckley and the parole officer standing in the residence's backyard.
According to court records, the parole officer said Beckley got very angry when he asked to look at his phone, which is standard procedure for parole officers and parolees.
The parole officer added that Beckley tried to crush his phone. He allegedly threw the device against a camper and then smashed it against a large cement brick.
Court documents indicate Beckley then threw the phone at the parole officer. The device allegedly struck the parole officer in the leg.
When police questioned Beckley about the incident, he admitted to throwing the phone and striking the parole officer. Beckley claimed he tried to destroy the phone because it had photos of young children on it, per court records.
Beckley clarified that the content on his device was not child pornography. He told police he thought he'd get in trouble for having the photos on his phone.
Beckley was arrested for battery on a public safety official and obstruction of justice. Both charges are Level 6 Felonies.
The maximum penalty for a Level 6 Felony in Indiana is a 2.5-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $10,000.