Hardin County man arrested on child sexual abuse charges

According to the Kentucky State Police, on February 10, at approximately 09:56 am, the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch arrested Christopher Scott Barnes, 51, on charges related to child sexual abuse material.

Barnes was arrested as the result of an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children investigation. Santa Claus Police Department in Santa Claus, Indiana began the investigation after discovering the suspect procuring a minor online. The suspect was later identified to be a Kentucky resident, and the investigation was transferred to Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch.

The investigation resulted in a search warrant at a residence in Glendale on February 10. Equipment used to facilitate the crime was seized and taken to KSP’s forensic laboratory for examination. The investigation is ongoing.

Mr. Barnes is currently charged with one count of fugitive from another state, three counts of procuring or promoting the use of a minor by electronic means (Class-C felonies punishable by five to ten years in prison) and three counts of indecent exposure 1st degree (Class-B misdemeanors punishable up to ninety days in jail). Mr. Barnes was lodged in the Hardin County Detention Center.

The Kentucky Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is comprised of more than twenty-six local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. The mission of the ICAC Task Force, created by the United States Department of Justice and administrated by the Kentucky State Police, is to assist state and local law enforcement agencies in developing a response to cyber enticement and child sexual abuse material investigations. This support encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, prevention and community education. The ICAC program was developed in response to the increasing number of children and teenagers using the internet, the proliferation of child sexual abuse material, and the heightened online activity of predators searching for unsupervised contact with underage victims.