Central Indiana prosecutors and law enforcement say they are staring down a surge in child sexual exploitation cases, as digital platforms crank up both the number of suspicious images and the ways predators can reach kids. A televised special that aired Wednesday walked viewers through the life cycle of these cases, from an online tip to medical forensics, arrests and courtroom strategy, and brought in voices from prosecutors, a licensed counselor and a survivor who lived it.
According to Fox59, state officials said nearly 7,000 people were charged with a child sex offense in Indiana over a recent five year span. Shelby County deputy prosecuting attorney Brandon Robinson used the segment to break down investigative steps, while licensed counselor Jacob Biancardi talked about treatment and the long road many defendants and victims both face. The Fox59 special also featured a 19 year old survivor who described how exploitation still shapes day to day life years later.
Online Reports Have Exploded
National numbers show how big the problem has become. A Senate Judiciary Committee hearing reported that cyber tips to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children jumped from about 1,380 per day in 2013 to roughly 100,000 per day by 2023, a spike that local prosecutors say has pushed their systems to the limit. Lawmakers and industry witnesses at the hearing said technology is driving much of the increase and forcing police to triage massive streams of suspected child sexual abuse material. For the full context, see the hearing transcript on Congress.gov.
Indiana's ICAC Task Force and Local Response
Indiana’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, run by the Indiana State Police, coordinates multiagency investigations that typically start with a CyberTip and require specialized digital forensics. The task force publishes statistics and details on tools that local prosecutors and sheriffs lean on when phones, computers or cloud accounts are in play, including forensic labs and electronic storage detection (ESD) K 9 teams that help locate devices. For a public overview and data on the task force, see the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force page.
Forensic Exams Remain Central
Medical forensic examinations still sit at the center of these cases, bridging victim care with the collection of evidence that can stand up in court. Indiana has developed statewide guidelines to keep those exams consistent. The 2024 Indiana pediatric medical forensic guidelines highlight multidisciplinary coordination, bringing together Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, pediatricians, child advocacy centers and prosecutors to protect a child’s health while preserving evidence for trial. The full guidance from the Indiana SANE Training Project is available in the Indiana Pediatric Guidelines.
Treatment, Recovery and the Defendant
On the Fox59 segment, licensed counselor Jacob Biancardi laid out treatment paths and supervision strategies used with people charged with problematic sexual behaviors, noting that structured therapy and specialized programs can be part of long term risk management. Biancardi is listed as a licensed mental health counselor in Indiana; his professional profile appears on Psychology Today. For his full remarks and the broader televised report, see Fox59.
Where State Law Is Shifting
Lawmakers in 2025 advanced updates to how Indiana labels these crimes in statute, including efforts to swap the term "child pornography" for "child sex abuse material" across the laws and to create narrow defenses for some mandated reporters who contact authorities right away. Those changes, discussed in measures such as Senate Bill 326, are described as a response to evolving technology and evidence practices that are reshaping prosecutions, according to the Indiana Office of Court Services’ legislative update and bill trackers.
How To Report and Where To Get Help
If a child is in immediate danger, call 911. For suspected online exploitation, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children operates the CyberTipline, and the Indiana ICAC Task Force website lists state resources and contact points for reporting and victim services. See the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Indiana ICAC Task Force for links and step by step guidance on what to do next.
