BOONE COUNTY, Ind. — Child sex crimes cases are on the rise across Indiana, and those cases get much more challenging when they’re on the Internet.
The Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation (C.A.S.E) Task Force is a team effort made up of several agencies throughout Boone County. The task force was formed to help police investigate child sex crimes that take place on the Internet and the child sex crimes involving technology, whether that be phones or computers.
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office says child sex crime cases increased in 2022, from 117 in 2021 to over 150 last year. Over 50 of those cases were Internet crimes.
The task force will have investigators that have received highly specialized training meant for investigating child sex crimes. Indiana State Police have awarded the C.A.S.E Task Force with 35,000-dollars this year for more forensic testing equipment and training more investigators.
The task force also has a partnership with the Whitestown Metro Police Department to use their forensic cyber lab and office space.
This is the list of agencies that have joined the Boone County C.A.S.E Task Force:
• The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office
• The Boone County Sheriff’s Office
• Zionsville Police Department
• Whitestown Metropolitan Police Department
• Lebanon Police Department
