RANDOLPH COUNTY, Ind. — A Parker City man was arrested on multiple felony charges related to possession of child pornography on Friday.
According to a press release from Indiana State Police, a search warrant was executed at a residence in the 500 block of West High Street in Parker City. ISP reported that its Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, forensic examiners and Pendleton District troopers served the warrant Friday morning.
After they executed the warrant, police arrested 32-year-old Dustin Paul Covert. He was subsequently transported to the Randolph County Jail and preliminarily charged with the following:
- Possession of child pornography (Level 5 felony)
- Possession of child pornography where a child under 12 years old is depicted (Level 4 felony)
- Possession of child pornography depicting physical or verbal resistance (Level 4 felony)
- Possession of child pornography where the child receives a bodily injury in sexual conduct or incidents (Level 4 felony)
- Possession of, knowing/intentional dissemination of, or exhibition/the offer to exhibit child pornography (Level 4 Felony)
ISP began looking into Covert's alleged activity on Sept. 26. At that time, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that warranted further investigation.
The Indiana ICAC Task Force, which is a multi-agency effort spearheaded by ISP, encourages all Hoosiers to report child exploitation to NCMEC. The NCMEC is a private, nonprofit organization that provides resources to families and law enforcement trying to prevent the exploitation and abduction of children.
Tips can be left for the ICAC and NCMEC here.
A mugshot has not been provided as of this article's publication.