Rick Harrell, pictured here in a 2011 Facebook picture.
A criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in South Bend alleges that Richard Lee Harrell, 27, of Warsaw, came on the radar in November 2011 when an Indiana State Police detective working with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force found a number of images showing adults have sex with and forcing sex acts on pre-pubescent girls downloaded on an Internet address.
Court documents show that Harrell’s Internet address was linking to a home in the 1800 block of Nye Street, Warsaw. In April, federal agents conducted surveillance on the home and learned that Harrell had done some work on computers in that home.
In the court filing, special agents said Harrell admitted he “was curious” about child pornography and downloaded images and videos over a period of a month. Authorities said they located pornographic images on both computers and a cell phone.
Harrell is jailed without bond.
Several sources tell StaceyPageOnline.com that Harrell is a Winona Lake Fire Department volunteer. His Facebook page also lists him as a volunteer fireman with Winona Lake.
The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is devised of state and federal law enforcement officers.