A 25-year-old Richmond woman and a 29-year-old Texas man are facing felony charges in connection with dealings involving a 10-year-old girl local to Richmond, Indiana, through in-person and online contact. Jessica Pippel and Emmitt Hogan were charged Thursday.
The charges stem from dealings with the child that spanned in-person and online contact, according to Pal-Item. Pippel and Hogan both face charges of child solicitation, the outlet reports, though the charging documents detailing the specific allegations against each defendant were not available.
What the Charges Carry
Child solicitation in Indiana is generally classified as a Level 5 felony when it involves a child under 14, according to the Indiana Code hosted by Justia. A conviction at that level can bring up to six years in prison, per the report.
The same statute lays out circumstances that can elevate the offense to a Level 4 felony, including when a computer network is used to solicit a child under 14 to engage in sexual intercourse or other sexual conduct and the person later travels to meet that child, or when the accused has a prior unrelated conviction under the same section. The evidence reviewed does not establish whether prosecutors allege any of those elevating circumstances apply in the case against Pippel or Hogan.
Unanswered Questions Remain
Details about each defendant’s specific role, their pleas, court dates, or custody status have not been made public in available reporting. Pal-Item noted the charges were filed this week in connection with the girl, who is local to the Richmond, Indiana area.
