TIPTON, Ind. — A 67-year-old Tipton man was detained Tuesday as part of a child pornography investigation.
Tipton Police, working with several other agencies, executed a search warrant in the Hartwick apartment complex on Ash Street around 9:15 a.m. Investigators had received a tip from a computer repair store that reported finding child pornography on a device at their store.
After identifying a suspect, 67-year-old James D. Rippy, police obtained the probable cause search warrant for Rippy's residence.
Due to the close proximity of other residents, police used buses to move Rippy's neighbors away from the scene of the search warrant out of an abundance of caution.
Rippy was detained by officers without incident and was taken to a hospital for evaluation, due to a pre-existing medical condition.
Investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force searched the residence and recovered multiple items, which will be examined for child pornography and child exploitation material allegedly possessed by Rippy, police said.
The results of the investigation will be turned over to the Tipton County Prosecutor's Office to determine formal charges, if any.
In addition to the Tipton Police Department, police from Kokomo, the Tipton County Sheriff's Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, the Howard County Sheriff's Office and Indiana State Police assisted in the operation. The Tipton Fire Department, including Seals Paramedic, Tipton County Communications, Tipton County Emergency Management and Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force were also involved.
Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call Tipton Police Det. Robert Nunemacher at 765-675-1282.
If you have information or suspicion of child sexual exploitation, police say you can call your local police department, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force or contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Cyber Tip Line at www.cybertipline.com or 1-800-843-5678.
