Sexting investigation leads to arrest

JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) - On Thursday, the Johnson County Sheriff's Department arrested a volunteer Nineveh fireman on charges he had sex with a 15-year-old girl. Investigators said the encounter happened during a party 19-year-old Thomas Hibbs was hosting at his sister’s home.

The 15-year-old girl involved told police Hibbs' trailer is where all the kids go to party with both alcohol and drugs. There were several kegs and empty beer cans scattered across the property when 24-Hour News 8 knocked on the door Thursday, but no one was home.

Hibbs now facing charges of sexual misconduct with a minor and the sale of alcohol to a minor.

Investigators said at that same party, the same girl was allegedly secretly videotaped having sex with a 14-year-old boy. They said video of that encounter was sent via text to other kids.

The teen who took the video hasn't been charged with a crime yet, but could end up on a sex offender registry.

Several of the students involved attend Indian Creek High School. The word is out that several lives have been damaged by what might have occurred as a thoughtless joke.

"It was very quiet in the building," said Principal Andy Cline.

Principal Cline said a 17-year-old boy has been suspended from school, faces expulsion and serious criminal charges after he allegedly secretly videotaped the two kids having sex. A Johnson County police report said the boy then sent the video to others through text messaging, or "sexting", the new term to describe the communication.

"I think he has a deep understanding of his actions and now his consequences which probably before hand, he didn't," said Principal Cline.

The Trafalgar community is stunned by not only the secret taping, but what the police report calls consensual sex between a 14-year-old and 15-year-old.

"And we're going to have to as parents, teach them what to do and what not to do and how to treat this new technology," said Bruce Meiklejohn, a parent.

Indian Creek graduate Olivia Wells said, "They shouldn't have been doing it in the first place."

Police said their investigation into the sexting could take several days. Johnson County Prosecutor Brad Cooper said the charges against the teen with the cell phone, could be very serious.

"I'm assuming from what I've read that these are underage kids and in Indiana you have a child exploitation law that prohibits the distribution of any pictures, photographs, text messaging, videos, streaming video or the like of anyone under the age of 18 involved in any sort of a sex act," said Prosecutor Cooper.

School officials said they're discussing this case publicly because they hope other kids will understand the responsibility they have not to miss use technology.

The Nineveh Township Volunteer Fire Department released a statement saying, in part:

Thomas Hibbs was not an active member of Nineveh Township Volunteer Fire Department at the time of the alleged incident. Mr. Hibbs will remain inactive pending the outcome of the investigation. If Mr. Hibbs is found guilty, his membership will be terminated immediately.

Police said Hibbs is in the Johnson County Jail on a $10,000 bond. They said he was hosting the underage party Saturday night at the home of his sister. She was away from home on a military drill.