The Indiana State police said in a press release Heath L. Deorto, a 45-year-old male from Bloomington was arrested for possession of child pornography.
Editor’s note: Press release contains disturbing information.
| INDIANA STATE POLICE BLOOMINGTON DISTRICT 1500 N. Packinghouse Road, #200 Bloomington, IN 47404 www.in.gov/isp FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: First Sergeant Michael Wood Public Information Officer 812-332-4411 December 16, 2022 |
| Investigation Leads to an Arrest of Bloomington Man Monroe County – On Thursday, December 15, 2022, Troopers with the Indiana State Police Bloomington District, ISP Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), Officers from Bloomington Police Department, Indiana University Police Department, and Monroe County High Tech Crime Unit jointly served a residential search warrant in Bloomington relating to a child pornography investigation. The investigation by the Indiana State Police ICAC Detective Robert Whyte after a suspect shared child pornography with law enforcement using a file sharing application. Detective Whyte was able to locate the residence where the files of child pornography were shared and subsequently was granted a search warrant. Upon serving the warrant, Officers located two adult males at the residence. Concurrent interviews were completed by both Troopers and Bloomington PD Officers with the two males. Those interviews along with forensic examinations of electronic devices located at the residence eliminated one of the adult males from being a suspect. Furthermore, those same interviews and examinations were able to confirm that Heath L. Deorto, a 45-year-old male from Bloomington was in possession of Child Pornography. Also, Dearto was found to be Cultivating, Dealing, and Possessing Marijuana. Dearto was arrested and transported to the Monroe County Jail for the following charges, One Count of Distribution of Child Pornography Under 12 and Bondage, Level 4 Felony One Count of Possession of Child Pornography Under 12 and Bondage, Level 5 Felony One Count of Dealing Marijuana, Class A Misdemeanor One Count of Cultivating Marijuana, Class A Misdemeanor One Count of Possession of Marijuana, Class B Misdemeanor Lt. Paul Bucher, Commander of the Indiana State Police Bloomington District commended the joint effort of this investigation, “These investigations can be very complex and they take a team effort. We have a great working relationship with these agencies and through a team effort we were able to complete the investigation with an arrest.” Anyone having any information related to crimes against children is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency or visit the NCMEC website at http://www.missingkids.com/home and find the link to make a CYBERTIPLINE report. An arrest photo may be obtained from the Monroe County Jail. All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. -30- WOOD |
