INDIANAPOLIS — A 12-year-veteran IMPD sergeant has been arrested for child exploitation.
According to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Javed Richards was arrested for 12 counts of child exploitation, all level four felonies.
Police say, Richards used a messaging app, KIK, with a username: Chasepleez to upload, download and share dozens of files including the child pornography.
Detectives found videos from 15 seconds long to two minutes of girls believed to be under the age of 12 engaging in sexual acts with adult men.
Those images and videos, were traded among users in chats.
"The chat rooms where they meet and talk about it and trade the pictures are infiltrated by law enforcement so, it's just a very heinous crime, even more so, and it's a member of law enforcement that's entrusted with protecting society there and are engaged in these very things that we try to protect them from so it's disturbing to see such a thing," said retired FBI agent Doug Kouns.
Kouns said people trading pornography will often use VPN's in attempt to obscure their real location and remain anonymous while trading pornography online.
"The VPN can make it appear as if you are located somewhere else, and then the next time you log on, it might bounce you to yet another place," Kouns said.
IMPD said Richards had a virtual private network but at one point, the connection dropped and switched to his personal WiFi at his apartment.
That's what caught the attention of National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. NCMEC alerts law enforcement to internet crimes regarding sexually exploited children.
It contacted IMPD on August 6. ICAC detectives received evidence that an IP address came back to a personal home router with the same name as a current IMPD officer.
Additional evidence from search warrants confirmed the alleged suspect was IMPD sergeant Javed Richards.
On Monday, Aug. 19, Richards was taken into custody and arrested.
"I'm just dumbfounded. That's crazy. That's a lot of counts of crazy stuff," said Simeon James.
Richards was also a courtesy officer at an apartment complex downtown, off Martin Luther King Jr.
Some residents are disappointed.
"I'm just dumbfounded. That's crazy. That's a lot of counts of crazy stuff," said Simeon James. "You are a courtesy officer. You're supposed to be protecting and serving."
"That's crazy. You shouldn't be doing that and an officer too nah that's not a person I want protecting my community," said Jared Stanfield.
Others didn't want to go on camera, but described Richards as a caring officer. They're shocked by the allegations, along with Indy's chief of police.
"I am profoundly shocked and disturbed by the allegations involving an IMPD officer. His alleged actions constitute a betrayal of the sacred oath we take to protect and serve our community. These actions do not reflect the character of the brave men and women who serve Indianapolis with integrity and dedication every day," said IMPD Chief Chris Bailey.
“The exploitation of children through pornography is an unimaginable crime that inflicts lasting harm on our most vulnerable. I commend the unwavering dedication of our detectives in the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit. Their efforts in investigating, prosecuting, and formulating responses to these heinous crimes ensure that those who prey on children are held accountable,” said Chief Bailey.
Richards has been considered a hero multiple times in his career.
In 2015, he was awarded the Medal of Valor and the Purple Heart for wounds he received in a deadly shootout with a man on the city’s east side.
In 2016, Richards was honored by Indiana State Police for jumping into action and helping save a crash victim’s life.
The victims involved in the 12 charges (child exploitation and pornography) from IMPD are all believed to be 12 and under.
"The people that I've interviewed, you know, subsequent to arrest, they tend to justify them like, well, I wasn't actually making it, or I wasn't actually abusing any children, but you are because you're creating the market in which the people that do create it and do abuse these children. and can profit from that, and so you're facilitating that," said Kouns.
The Marion County Prosecutors' Office will determine formal charges this week.
Chief Bailey suspended Richards from the department pending a recommendation of termination to the IMPD Civilian Police Merit Board.
If you or someone you know is a victim of exploitation, please report it immediately to cybertipline.orgto help protect children and ensure swift action is taken.
