Media Fact Sheet

Date: September 29, 2023

Location: 4800 Wayne Park Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46816

Time: 7:50 AM 

Suspect Arrested #1: John Arthur Schell, 63 years of age

Preliminary Charges: Possession of Child Pornography, a Level 5 Felony

Details/Summary:

On August 23, 2023, FWPD Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Detectives received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) identifying John Arthur Schell as a person who downloaded and viewed Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), commonly known as child pornography. Files downloaded by the defendant were provided to NCMEC as part of the investigation. Detective John Chambers,  was the Case Agent. He determined during his investigation that the files were downloaded to at least one digital device inside a residence in the 4800 block of Wayne Park Drive. On the morning of Friday, September 29, 2023, FWPD ICAC detectives, along with other detectives from the Crimes Against Persons Section (CAPS) executed a Search Warrant at that address. Several electronic devices were collected pursuant to the search and the defendant was arrested. The Allen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Indiana State Police-Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force assisted.