LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office Looking for Non-Compliant Sex Offender

LaPorte County Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a non-compliant sex offender. Darell L. Eckwood is wanted for two felony counts of failure to register as a sex offender, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He’s considered a serious sex offender with residency restrictions, after police say he was convicted of child molestation back in 2011.

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Knox Man Found Guilty of Child Molesting

A Starke Circuit Court trial that began Monday morning has concluded with Starke County Prosecutor, Nicholas A. Bourff successfully prosecuting Jerry Leonard of child molesting.

According to a press release from the Starke County Prosecutor’s office, on Thursday, January 11th, a 12-person jury deliberated about one hour before returning guilty verdicts on two counts of child molesting as Class A Felonies and two counts of performing a sexual act in front of a child as Class D Felonies. Continue reading

Neighboring Business Hope They’re Unaffected By Child Porn Arrest

Robert Wisilinski
Robert Wisilinski

Neighboring businesses are commenting on an alleged incident that landed a Knox man in jail on Child Molesting and other counts.

According to police, 67-year-old Robert Wisilinski was arrested after a couple of missing juvenile calls led officers to his Heaton Street address. After refusing to answer the door, Wisilinski was spotted exiting the home with one of the missing juveniles.
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Valparaiso Man Arrested in Connection with Child Molestation Case

Ryan Schroeder

A Valparaiso man has been charged with 23 felonies in a child molestation case.

Ryan Schroeder, 26, who is currently in the United States Navy based in Jacksonville, Florida, has been charged with Aiding in Child Molestation, Aiding in Child Exploitation, Possession of Child Pornography, Aiding in Voyeurism and Aiding in Theft. He was arrested yesterday in Jacksonville and is awaiting extradition back to Porter County.

This investigation also included the arrest of 21-year-old Tara Tryon, of Wanatah, on October 27th, 2011. She was arrested and charged with 20 counts of Child Molestation. Schroeder, the former boyfriend of Tryon, allegedly asked her to do the acts and also received photos of the acts on his phone. Tryon is now out on bail.

Gerald Broude, Jr. Sentenced to 50 years

Gerald Broude
Gerald Broude

Gerald L. Broude, Jr. was sentenced in Starke Circuit Court Tuesday morning. Judge Kim Hall sentenced Broude, Jr. to 50 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections. He was given 50 years on each of the three Class A Felony counts of Child Molestation, and eight years on one count of Child Molestation, a Class C Felony. The sentences will run concurrently for a total of 50 years.

The mother of the victim gave a victim impact statement this morning and Broude, Jr. maintained his innocence in his statement to the Court. Judge Hall found his actions to have a severe impact on the victim and the family and classified him as a sexually violent predator.

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Sentencing Hearing for Gerald Broude Today

Gerald Broude
Gerald Broude

Gerald Broude will be sentenced today in Starke Circuit Court. On December 1st, a jury of seven men and five women deliberated for 30 minutes, finding Gerald Broude guilty on four counts of child molestation. The alleged acts occurred in 2008.

After Broude’s verdict came in, Broude was ordered to be held without bond until today’s sentencing hearing.

Gerald Broude Found Guilty on Four Counts of Child Molestation

Gerald Broude
Gerald Broude

A verdict has been declared in the Gerald Broude trial in Starke Circuit Court.

A jury of seven men and five women deliberated for 30 minutes and found Broude guilty on all four counts of child molestation.  Broude’s bond was revoked and Broude was ordered to be held without bond until his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. CT in Starke Circuit Court.