KOKOMO, Ind. -- An undercover investigation led police to the home of a 26-year-old Kokomo man on Friday. Inside, they found a cellphone, USB drive and laptop – all allegedly filled with pornographic images of children.
Child exploitation detectives posting messages to online forums alleged to be popular with those looking for child pornography reportedly came into contact with 26-year-old Elliot Von Shoffner earlier this month.
Shoffner, under the online username "Elliot_90765," allegedly responded to one of those posts by indicating that he was interested in sexual activity with children. At one point the undercover officer asked Shoffner if he was a "dad with yng" – if Shoffner had young children – at which point Shoffner said no, but indicated that he, Shoffner, was sexually active with a 5-year-old female child.
Investigators subsequently found that a child molestation report had been filed with the Kokomo Police Department in 2015 alleging sexual activity between Shoffner and a 4-year-old child. No charges were ever filed in that investigation.
During the course of their conversation, the undercover officer reportedly received numerous images and videos from Shoffner depicting very young children in sex acts or sexually explicit poses.
At one point, Shoffner reportedly said he would have "access" to the 5-year-old soon and would try to photograph her or have sexual contact with her.
Following those conversations, investigators subpoenaed Kik messenger (the service Shoffner was using to converse with the undercover officer) for records relating to the "Elliot_90765" username. They then subpoenaed the IP address used frequently by that account, which led them to Shoffner's residence in Kokomo, Indiana.
A federal search warrant was executed at that residence on February 10. Inside the home, agents found a cellphone, USB drive and laptop all allegedly containing pornographic images and videos of children.
In an interview with police, Shoffner allegedly admitting to sending the images of child pornography to the undercover officer.
Shoffner was subsequently taken into custody on federal charges of possession and distribution of child pornography.
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