An Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department sergeant is facing a slew of federal charges for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. Javed Richards, a police officer with 12 years on the force, was indicted by a federal grand jury, as reported by WISH-TV on Friday, ratcheting up the legal pressure with five counts of distributing child pornography alongside one count of possession.
Richards's legal woes stem from an incident this past July when he allegedly shared over 40 images and videos of child sexual abuse through a messaging application. He was initially charged by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office before the case expanded to the federal level. According to WRTV, if convicted on the federal charges, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in federal prison. Richards is currently suspended from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, with a recommendation for termination pending.
The sordid details unearthed by authorities reveal that Richards, who worked within the internal affairs unit, used the username "chasepleez" to distribute the illicit material. A tip submitted to the department’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sparked the investigation. Officials traced one of an IP address used to upload the files back to Richard's Indianapolis apartment, adding weight to the charges against him. This information comes from earlier reports by FOX59, which provided details on the digital trail leading to Richards.
With the indictment in hand, the case against Richards is set to unfold in the federal courthouse. He made his initial court appearance last Thursday. Investigators from the FBI and Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are actively involved in the case, collaborating with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to unearth further evidence. In a moment of candor during an interrogation, Richards termed his own actions as "super f------ embarrassing," according to a FOX59 report. His trial is scheduled to commence on Oct. 21, just days after his initial federal court appearance.
