Columbus Man Arrested on Child Exploitation Charges

Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

 June 19, 2023, Detectives from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post arrested a Columbus, Indiana man on child exploitation charges following a search warrant at a Bartholomew County residence.

The investigation by Detective Jason Duncan, Indiana State Police-Versailles Post, began in August 2022 after a cybertip was received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.  After a nearly ten-month investigation, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence on Poshard Drive in Columbus, Indiana yesterday morning.

During the execution of the search warrant, additional evidence was collected which led to the arrest of Joshua J. Johnson, age 29, Columbus, Indiana.  He was taken into custody and incarcerated at the Bartholomew County Jail on preliminary charges of Child Exploitation-Dissemination of Child Pornography, Level 5 Felony and Child Exploitation-Possession of Child Pornography, Level 6 Felony.  He will soon have an initial hearing in Bartholomew County. 

The investigation is ongoing with additional charges being possible. 

Detective Duncan was assisted by additional troopers and detectives with the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post as well as investigators with the Indiana State Police-Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.