Police find evidence that may widen scope of sex case

“Portage Police Detectives recovered several electronic storage devices from the residence believed to contain additional evidence of crimes against children,” according to new details released by the department.

Police say Daniel Roberts attempted to flee on foot when officers from Portage, Fishers and the Indiana Cybercrimes Against Children Task Force showed up Tuesday at his home in Fishers, Indiana.

He was chased down by police and taken into custody with the assistance of a stun gun, police said.

Porter Superior Court Judge Mike Fish set bond this week for Roberts at $70,000 cash, records show. Roberts was further ordered to have no further contact with the girl in question while his criminal case proceeds.

Roberts is wanted in Colorado on a probation violation on original charges there of sexual exploitation of a minor and attempted felony sexual assault of a child, police said.

Roberts, who appeared to remain behind bars Friday at the Porter County Jail, is charged locally with three counts of vicarious sexual gratification, eight counts of child solicitation and four counts of possessing child pornography.

The allegations stem back to October when the then-12-year-old Portage girl reported to a school counselor about having sex with an adult male, according to a charging document.

She reportedly told investigators she had been chatting with the man, later determined to be Roberts, on the messaging app Snapchat. Police said they found sexually explicit videos, photographs and conversation saved on the app between the girl and Roberts.

The girl reportedly informed Roberts on July 31, 2023 that she was 14 and he proceeded with a sexual conversation.

“Do you like dirty talking about our ages?” he allegedly asked.

Roberts goes on to repeatedly ask the girl to send photos of herself performing sexual acts, which she does, according to police.

The girl reportedly informed Roberts at some point that she was 12, not 14, police said.

“You’re still okay with me then?” she asked.

“Of course,” he wrote back, going on that he would be fine if she was much younger. “It’s actually better.”

When asked by Roberts why she claimed to be 14 rather than her actual age of 12, the girl replied, “Most guys I’ve talked to wouldn’t go under 13.”

“I’d go way under 13,” Roberts allegedly responded.

The sexual conversations continued through October, according to police.

Investigators used Roberts’ Snapchat information and other Facebook photos to identify him. They said they also learned he had an active warrant for a probation violation out of Colorado stemming from a 2019 conviction involving charges of sexual exploitation of a minor via telecom internet and sexual assault involving a child.

“We encourage parents to talk to their children about online safety and have clear triggers as to when to end communications with certain people, such as requests for explicit selfies or sexually oriented conversations,” Portage police said.

Police said parents can also install surveillance software on their children’s electronic devices that send out notices when certain keywords are detected.

Parents are referred to in.gov/isp/icactf/resources for more information.