A Whiteland man was arrested after an investigation found he had more than 100 images and videos of child pornography.
Anthony Lewis, 23, has been charged with 10 counts of child exploitation and 10 counts of possession of child pornography, according to court documents. The maximum sentence for each child exploitation count is 12 years and the maximum sentence for child pornography count is two-and-a-half years in prison.
In recent local child pornography cases, defendants have faced anywhere from one to six counts for cases ranging from possession of 14 videos and photos to one where more than 500 images were found.
Following tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Indiana State Police opened an investigation into Lewis after receiving a tip and finding evidence that he had uploaded child pornography to Facebook, Skype and Dropbox accounts, a probable cause affidavit said. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a nonprofit organization that tracks and monitors cases of missing children and child exploitation.
The center received information that Lewis had uploaded 142 images and videos. Additional photos and videos were found on his laptop computer and cellphone, the affidavit said.
The images and videos showed adults engaging in sexual acts with children as young as toddlers, but there wasn’t any indication that he had made any of the material, the affidavit said.
In an interview with investigators, Lewis initially said that the files had just shown up on his computer before saying that he sent and received child pornography online, the affidavit said.
Lewis, 144 Meadow Creek Drive South, was arrested and taken to the Johnson County jail. He was held on $60,000 bond.
