A former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department sergeant who once policed his own colleagues in internal affairs is headed to federal prison. On Wednesday, a federal judge in Indianapolis sentenced Javed Richards to nine years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material involving victims younger than 12. Investigators ultimately recovered more than 600 images and videos, and Richards will face five years of supervised probation after his prison term.
Sentence and plea
Richards entered a guilty plea earlier this year, and on May 20 a federal judge imposed a 108-month sentence, according to WISH-TV. In court, Richards admitted sharing a four-second video that prosecutors say shows the sexual abuse of a girl under the age of 12. Under the plea agreement, federal prosecutors agreed to dismiss five remaining counts, and the 108-month sentence will be followed by five years of probation, the station reports.
How investigators built the case
The investigation started after a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children flagged uploads on the Kik messenger app, leading to a federal indictment last fall, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The indictment notes that Richards was assigned to IMPD’s internal affairs unit when investigators began their work and that he used the Kik handle "chasepleez" to share material.
Local reporting by WRTV describes how federal agents and local investigators followed a digital breadcrumb trail. A virtual private network briefly dropped during one of the uploads, exposing a home Wi-Fi address tied to Richards. Investigators then matched those timestamps with his body-camera GPS data to connect the online activity to the officer.
Breach of trust
IMPD leadership has framed the case as an especially serious breach of public trust, given Richards’ role inside internal affairs. Chief Chris Bailey called the allegations "a betrayal of the sacred oath taken by officers," WRTV reported. The department has suspended Richards and recommended his termination to the Civilian Police Merit Board, according to earlier coverage.
Legal fallout and next steps
Richards was arrested in August 2024 after the CyberTip and the follow-up local investigation. Court records and local reporting indicate his devices contained hundreds of images and videos, more than 600 in total, according to WISH-TV. With the federal sentence now in place, the remaining fallout will play out through administrative channels, including the pending Merit Board proceedings, final supervised-release conditions and any restitution the court orders.
What comes next
IMPD has said its internal personnel and oversight processes will continue alongside Richards’ federal sentence, and the department’s handling of the case remains under close local scrutiny. For a deeper look at the original federal charges and how the case first came to light, see our earlier coverage on the federal indictment.
