In January 2025, an investigator with the Howard County Sheriff’s Office and Internet Crimes
Against Children Task Force began an investigation after receiving three CyberTip Reports from
the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) pertaining to Child Sex
Abuse Material/Child Exploitation.
The CyberTip Reports were generated by Yahoo! and included 130+ files depicting child sex
abuse material. Through the investigation, it was determined that 45-year-old Kevin Chapel JR,
of Kokomo, Indiana was the Yahoo! user suspected of uploading the content.
On the morning of August 7th, 2025, a search warrant was obtained for the 6000 block of 80
South, Kokomo. Investigators with the Howard County Sheriff’s Office were assisted by
detectives from the Kokomo Police Department. During the search, numerous electronic devices
which were seized from the residence with at least one device containing media files confirmed
to be child sex abuse material.
As a result, On 18 August 2025, Kevin Chapel, JR was taken into custody for 2 counts of
Possession of Child Sex Abuse Material, (Level 5 Felony) and 2 counts of Possession of Child
Sex Abuse Material, (Level 6 Felony).
This investigation was conducted by Investigator Kysha Quirk, an affiliated member of the
Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The Indiana ICAC is a
multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons
who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators
evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from
ongoing sexual abuse.
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.