FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The Fort Wayne Police Department says that officers arrested a 23-year-old man Thursday morning on a charge of possessing child pornography. The FWPD says that Diego Elisha Velasquez admitted to watching child pornography when officers came to arrest him at a home on Forest Hill Avenue.
According to a press release, an FWPD detective began the investigation after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent a cyber tip to the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) on Nov. 7.
Police say that the investigation revealed that files had been downloaded at the north side home where Velaquez lived. He was identified and a search warrant was executed. He was arrested Thursday around 6:30 a.m.
Velasquez faces a charge of possession of child pornography, a Level 6 felony.
The FWPD released the following:
On November 07, 2023, the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a Cybertip and files from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Fort Wayne Detective Chuck Volz, 1607F, a member of the ICAC Task Force, led the investigation. He determined during his investigation that files containing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), commonly known as child pornography, were downloaded to at least one electronic device inside of a residence in the 3900 block of Foresthill Avenue. The Internet Service Provider named Diego Velasquez as the likely offender. This morning, Fort Wayne ICAC detectives, along with other detectives from the Fort Wayne Police Department Crimes Against Persons Section (CAPS) executed a search warrant at the residence. Several electronic devices were collected during the search. Mr. Velasquez admitted his role in viewing CSAM and was arrested. The Allen County Prosecutor’s Office and several FWPD Patrol Officers assisted with the investigation. The Fort Wayne Police Department would like to remind citizens that searching for and viewing CSAM is the same as possessing CSAM and carries the same penalties.
Suspect Arrested #1: Diego Elisha Velasquez, 23 years old
Preliminary Charges: Possession of Child Pornography, a Level 6 Felony
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