Terre Haute man accused of possessing child pornography

Rice/ Vigo Co. Jail

By Lucy Perry
Indiana Central News
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A local man was arrested last week following a Terre Haute Police Department child pornography investigation.


John Rice, 67, of Terre Haute. was booked into the Vigo County Jail Dec. 20 around 10:30 a.m. He is charged with  possession of child pornography, a level 6 felony.


According to Det. Donald Toney, of the Terre Haute Police Department,  the investigation began when he received a cyber tip for the  National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The investigation revealed that Rice possessed more than 50 graphic photos of minor victims.

"There were 52 images of pre- pubscent females with their vaginas exposed in the 'Pictures' folder of the black lap top,"Toney explains in the court documents.

The investigation began after Rice  had recently allegedly posted  a photo of suspected child pornography during a Bing Image search  -- in attempt to obtain similar images --- and  it was then reported by Microsoft 

The image reportedly depicted " prepubescent minor nude and in sexually suggestive pose, with the focus on genitals, spreading of limbs or genitals, and such depiction lacks serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value."

The IP address was easily traced back to Rice and his S. Sixth Street residence, according to the court documents. Toney notes that the suspect is listed on the Indiana Sex and Violent Offender Registry, since 2004.

A search warrant of Rice's residence was executed. Officers seized  two computers and several cell phones from the residence.

Rice has since been released from the jail and is set to appear before Judge Michael Lewis in Div. 6 Court Dec. 30.