Once hailed ‘hero,’ police sergeant is accused of trading child porn, Indiana cops say
An Indiana police sergeant who for years has been hailed as a “hero” is now accused of exploiting children and trading child pornography, officials say and news outlets report.
Sgt. Javed Richards, of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, is charged with 13 counts of child exploitation and one count of possessing child porn, records show. The charges were filed Aug. 21.
Until recently, Richards appeared to be a highly respected member of the police department.
In 2015, he was awarded a Purple Heart and a Medal of Valor after being injured in a shootout, the Indianapolis Star reported. During the ceremony, Chief Rick Hite called Richards “a real hero.”
The 12-year veteran was later assigned to Internal Affairs and was a part of that division until his alleged activities were discovered, the IMPD said in a news release.
That discovery might never have happened if it weren’t for a tip sent Aug. 6 to the federal Internet Crimes Against Children task force, police said.
According to investigators, more than 40 files of child porn had been shared on the messaging app Kik, by a user named “chasepleez,” later determined to be Richards, WXIN reported. He’s accused of sending messages, videos and images with other users on Kik, trading with each other.
Richards had experience as an investigator and took precautions to hide what he was doing, using out-of-state IP addresses and servers when he’d shared photos or videos of children, the outlet reported. However, he used his home IP address when logging into Kik and, at one point, uploaded two files while still using his home’s IP — likely by accident, investigators said, according to the station.
He was taken into custody on Aug. 19, and interviewed by investigators, who confronted him with evidence they had collected, WTHR reported.
“Whatever happened in that moment, whatever it was, is not who I am, right? It is not who I am,” Richards said, the station reported.
Detectives searched Richards’ apartment while he was at the interview and found further evidence tying his home internet address to the Kik account, WTHR reported.
In the IMPD news release, Chief Chris Bailey said he is “profoundly shocked and disturbed by the allegations” against Richards.
“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,” Bailey continued.
“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.”
Richards was suspended on Aug. 19, and Bailey is awaiting approval to fire him, according to the release.
