This article is brought to you by Silver Birch Living of Kokomo. Silver Birch offers a full spectrum of personalized services to help older adults maintain their independence in a supportive, caring environment. For more information, visit Silver Birch of Kokomo online.
On Jan. 29, 2026, an officer with the Kokomo Police Department responded to a residence in Kokomo regarding a complaint of inappropriate online communication. The officer learned that a 10-year-old Kokomo male juvenile had been solicited for self-produced child sexual abuse material in exchange for Roblox gift cards. The investigation was eventually transferred to the KPD Digital Crimes Unit.
Investigators assigned to the KPD Digital Crimes Unit, who are also members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, performed digital forensics and obtained search warrants to help identify the suspect. Through a lengthy investigation, the suspect was identified to be an 18-year-old California male, Dominique Josue Castrejon-Rodriguez.
The case file was later sent to the Howard County Prosecutor’s Office, and on June 1, an Indiana arrest warrant was issued for Dominique Josue Castrejon-Rodriguez for one count of Child Solicitation, a Level 5 Felony.
On June 9, law enforcement investigators assigned to the San Diego Area Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant at Dominique’s residence in Moreno Valley, California. Dominique was located and taken into custody without incident.
Dominique will be held in custody in California until he can be extradited to Indiana.
This case is an example of ICAC cross-jurisdictional collaboration. ICAC consists of 61 coordinated, multi-agency partnerships nationwide. These task forces bring together more than 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement, all actively in pursuit of investigating and prosecuting online child exploitation, solicitation, and enticement.
Remember, all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.
June is recognized as Internet Safety Month, but the Kokomo Police Department stresses that it’s important to practice online safety throughout the entire year. For comprehensive information and resources on how to stay safe online, visit https://www.icactaskforce.org/internetsafety. #StartTheConversation #InternetSafety.
For ongoing information and resources, be sure to visit https://www.internetcrimesagainstkids.com.
Are your children interested in video games? The ICAC Task Force Program will host a complimentary webinar, entitled “Video Games and Your Child: Spotting Red Flags and Staying Safe Online.” This informative session is open to the public and will take place on Tue., June 23, from 2:00-3:15 p.m. Eastern Time. For more details and to register, click here.
If anyone has any further information, please contact Detective Sgt. Drew Wallsmith #389 at 765-456-7388 or via email at dwallsmith@cityofkokomo.org. You may also contact the Howard County Communications Center at 765-457-1105. Other options include contacting the Kokomo Police Department Hotline at (765) 456-7017 or submitting a tip anonymously by downloading the “Kokomo PD” mobile app from the iOS or Google Play stores. You can also text a tip by texting TIPKPD, then a space, and then your tip, and send it to 847411.
To immediately report child sexual exploitation or abuse, use the CyberTipline operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited and Children (NCMEC), http://cybertipline.org or by phone at 1-800-THE-LOST.