Local men charged with sex crimes against children

Sep. 17—Two Boone County men were charged recently with sex crimes against children in unrelated cases.

Douglas K. Gibson, 37, of Lebanon, is accused of sharing pornographic images online that contained prepubescent and pubescent girls engaged in sexual activities, according to a probable cause affidavit filed against him Friday.

He is said to have uploaded three images in a private online chatroom from his home in the 600 block of Baronne Street, Boone County Sheriff's Detective Jack Callahan wrote in the affidavit. Gibson has since moved to an apartment in Lebanon, Callahan reported.

Gibson is already a registered sex offender, having been convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor in 2010 in Hendricks County, according to court records.

A tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Indiana State Police pointed to Gibson through a cyber investigation and warrants that revealed Gibson's online activities, Callahan reported.

Gibson was arrested Thursday and on Friday charged in Boone Circuit Court with three counts of child exploitation as level 4 and 5 felonies.

And in Zionsville, a man who has autism, has been charged with child solicitation as a level 5 felony and dissemination of matter harmful to minors, a level 6 felony.

Trenton 'Shane' McGrath, 36, is accused of showing an elementary school aged boy a photo of his penis and giving the boy a pair of his underwear to keep in June, Zionsville Police Detective Thomas Beard wrote in a probable cause affidavit.

The boy was familiar with McGrath and the events took place when he was playing at a friend's house, according to court records.

McGrath's parents, who are also his guardians, helped police with the investigation and in their questioning of their son, according to the affidavit.

McGrath was ordered to appear in court in August instead of being arrested.

He is tentatively scheduled for a December trial in Boone Circuit Court.

Anyone who suspects a child is being abused or exploited should call Indiana's child abuse hotline 1-800-800-5556 to report it. The hotline is the clearinghouse for child abuse reports but immediately sends information directly the appropriate Boone County law enforcement agency for investigation.