(Shelbyville, IN) – A three-day sting operation conducted in Shelbyville targeting child sex offenders who look to exploit children online netted a record 11 arrests (10 in Shelbyville, and one in Clinton County).
The operation was spearheaded by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the Shelby County Prosecutor’s Office.
It used over 75 officers from 21 local, state, and federal agencies. Undercover officers posed as minors online to engage with predators looking to meet for unlawful sexual activity.
Shelby County Prosecutor James B. Landwerlen announced that this was the first large-scale investigation involving the newly formed Shelby County ICAC Task Force. The 11 arrests shattered the previous ICAC record of eight for a single operation.
The investigation took a harrowing turn when evidence led officers to identify and rescue an infant from sexual abuse. That child is now safe and receiving services. The suspect in that specific case is in custody in a neighboring county, where additional charges are pending.
The 11 men arrested include an attorney, several people with prior sex crime histories, and an illegal immigrant. One suspect reportedly arrived at a meeting intending to trade methamphetamine for sexual favors.
Those arrested and charged in Shelby County include:
John Michael Altman (27, Logansport): Attempted Child Molestation (Level 1 Felony) and Child Solicitation.
Robert Owen Bland (34, Indianapolis): Dealing Methamphetamine (Level 2 Felony), Dealing Cocaine, Unlawful Proposition, and Resisting Law Enforcement.
James Andrew Klimek (58, Indianapolis: Child Solicitation (Level 5 Felony).
Michael Allen Shelton (73, Shelbyville): Child Solicitation (Level 4 Felony).
Additional Suspects: Jackson Daniel Renaker (36, Covington, KY), Frederick Maxwell Walsh (39, Bloomington), Brandon Lamont Stephens (36, Indy), Darren Stephens (35, Greenwood), Daniel Roy Martin (47, Oakwood, Ohio), and Fernando Coronado-Olivares (25, no known address).
Landwerlen urged parents to remain vigilant, noting that while this sting was successful, the threat remains constant.
“Think about how many similar conversations and meetings were arranged outside our investigation during those three days,” Landwerlen warned. “It is OK to trust your kids—but it is still necessary to verify… a quick check now and then could save your child’s life.”
(Network Indiana contributed to this story)
