Columbus man arrested for distributing and possessing child pornography
COLUMBUS, Ind. (WISH) — Indiana State Police troopers on Wednesday arrested a Columbus man for distributing and possessing child pornography after a six-month investigation.
Earlier this year, an ISP detective began an investigation after Indiana State Police received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip indicated that a social media application discovered that a user was sharing images of possible child pornography to other users.
After multiple search warrants and subpoenas were issued and served, the potential suspect was identified as Michael E. Lawless, 56, of Columbus, Indiana.
On Wednesday, Indiana State Police troopers, with the assistance of the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Secret Service, served additional search warrants on Lawless in Bartholomew County.
At the conclusion of the search warrants, Lawless was arrested on felony charges of distribution and possession of child pornography. He was taken to the Bartholomew County Jail, where he was incarcerated pending an initial court appearance in Bartholomew County.
