Bloomington, Indiana -Five people were arrested and booked into the Lawrence County jail Thursday on charges of child solicitation.
Those arrested were: Brandon Dipasquale, 35, Bloomington; Travis Henry, 35, Bloomington; Roger Keith, 58, Coal City; Thomas Pinnick, 25, Mitchell; and James Wheeler, 24, Paoli. All five men are facing a charge of child solicitation, a Level 4 felony, according to an Indiana State Police news release.
The investigation began when a concerned Lawrence County residents reported several men solicited a person, who they believed to be a 15-year-old girl, to engage in sexual acts with them, the release stated. Working alongside the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office, police served search warrants and analyzed electronic communications.
According to the release, the evidence seized during the execution of the search warrants is being analyzed for the possibility of determining if any other offenses occurred.
ISP Bloomington Post Public Information Officer Michael Wood said analyzing the electronic devices “may take a while.”
“If more crimes are found to have been committed then we will investigate them and present them to the courts,” Wood advised.
“Without a doubt, this investigation has saved young girls in our community from becoming victims to such alleged predators,” said ISP Sgt. Greg Day.
Day said all parents should be aware that these dangers are a real threat to vulnerable youth. ISP encourages parents to monitor closely the types of apps and communications that their children are taking part in on social media.
