AVON, Ind. — Joshua Clark has officially resigned from the Portland Police Department after he was reportedly identified in an online civilian child predator sting in Avon, Indiana.
Police Chief Josh Stevenson immediately suspended Clark after seeing the video posted on social media. That video reportedly contained portions of the officer admitting he drove from Portland to Avon to meet a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl with whom he chatted online for weeks. It was actually citizens posing as underage kids online.
Clark passed all the required background checks and psychological screenings before being hired by Portland Police.
Chief Stevenson told 13News that they now have possession of the police items they issued to Clark which includes his badge, uniform and service weapon.
Clark went somewhat into hiding after the video was posted online by Predator Catchers Indianapolis, but Portland Police made contact with him.
Portland is cooperating with Avon Police, which is investigating the incident. Although Avon is not actively seeking Clark, they have requested that he cooperate with investigators so they can learn his version of the so-called predator sting.
Avon officials said they were notified on May 13 that a law enforcement officer from the Portland Police Department had reportedly "attempted to meet up with an underage child to potentially engage in sexual conduct" in Avon.
The civilians who claim they posed as the 14-year-old girl confronted Clark at an Avon restaurant where he arrived for a meeting and lunch with the girl.
The group agreed to turn over to Avon detectives all of their text messages captured on a burner phone for the investigation.
But, Avon Police Chief Sean Stoops told 13News that prosecution may be difficult since the sting was not conducted by an official law enforcement agency. However the final decision on possible charges against Clark would come from the Hendricks County Prosecutor's Office.
The Avon Police Department investigation on Joshua Clark remains open at this time.