{"id":7857,"date":"2023-10-19T17:23:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T17:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=7857"},"modified":"2023-10-20T04:45:21","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T04:45:21","slug":"local-news-headlines-october-20-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=7857","title":{"rendered":"Local News Headlines: October 20, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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IU student Jill Behrman\u2019s killer to stay locked up after a win in Federal Court<\/strong>
Attorney General Todd Rokita and his team have successfully ensured that the criminal who murdered Indiana University student Jill Behrman in 2000 will remain behind bars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe wheels of justice might turn slowly at times, but we take comfort in knowing we have achieved the proper outcome in this case,\u201d Attorney General Rokita said. \u201cThis vicious predator attacked and killed a young woman out innocently enjoying a bike ride, and Jill\u2019s family since that time has endured a long and drawn-out investigatory and legal process. They will always mourn their loss, but we pray that God will grant them a measure of closure and peace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A U.S. district court this week denied a habeas petition filed by John Myers challenging his conviction for Behrman\u2019s murder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behrman\u2019s remains were found in 2003, three years after her disappearance. Myers was arrested and convicted in 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2019, the U.S. district court initially granted Myers\u2019s habeas petition, reversing his conviction and ordering a new trial. His attorneys repeatedly pushed for his early release from prison, even citing COVID-19 concerns in 2020. But the Office of the Attorney General successfully appealed that decision, and the case was remanded for more proceedings \u2014 leading ultimately to this week\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attorney General Rokita thanked his criminal appeals team, and specifically Assistant Section Chief Jesse Drum, for their work on this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Serial Child Predator sentenced to 25 years in Federal Prison for Sexual Coercion and Enticement of Children as a Sex Offender<\/em><\/strong>
Isaiah Austin, 21, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to coercion and enticement of two minors while required to register as a sex offender, and illegally possessing a firearm. On December 3, 2020, Isaiah Austin was convicted in state court of the criminal confinement and sexual battery of a minor. He was sentenced to a total of five years in prison, with the time he served in pretrial detention executed, just less than a year, and the remaining four years to be served on probation. He was released from custody on the same day and was required by Indiana law to register as a sex offender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In February 2021, Marion County probation officers conducted a compliance visit on Austin at his home. During their search, officers located a cell phone which contained multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse, as well as images of Austin holding firearms. Officers also uncovered text and Snapchat messages between Austin and a 14-year-old girl, beginning in early January 2021, less than a month after he was released from custody. In these text and Snapchat messages, Austin detailed sexual acts he wanted to engage in with the child and instructed her to send him sexually explicit images of herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On November 10, 2021, Austin engaged in a Facebook chat in which he agreed to sell a handgun. On November 17, 2021, Lawrence Police Department officers went to an address where Austin had been staying for the past week. Austin fled the residence by running out of the house and jumping the fence as police arrived. The homeowner and their partner turned Austin\u2019s 9mm handgun over to officers, which was the same make and model as the gun Austin agreed to sell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On January 14, 2022, Austin was arrested on Federal charges resulting from his exploitation of the 14-year-old girl. While detained in pretrial custody, Austin began sexually exploiting a second minor victim using the jail\u2019s phone and messaging systems. Beginning in March 2022 and continuing through September 2022, Austin directed the second minor to engage in sex acts with an adult male relative of Austin\u2019s and send videos of the conduct to Austin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the next few months, Austin attempted to coerce and entice the second minor into engaging in commercial sex acts, instructing her to \u201cLook up this (adult pornography) website please we need to start making money. Please, for me.\u201d Austin arranged for an adult male to meet up with the second minor for sex and told her that he would get her name tattooed on his face if she recorded the sexually explicit conduct. Austin can be heard on recorded jail calls directing the adult and the minor to engage in sex acts and confirm that they were being recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The case was investigated by U.S. Secret Service and IMPD as part of Indiana\u2019s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with valuable assistance provided by the Lawrence Police Department. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge, Jane Magnus-Stinson. Judge Stinson also ordered that Austin be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 15 years following his release from federal prison and pay $5,000 in restitution to each victim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Upgrades coming to Paynetown State Recreation Area
<\/strong>Work on these Paynetown projects is expected to be completed in early December. During the construction period, you may encounter traffic delays on the SRA entrance road and temporary facility closures. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause, but these are much-needed projects that will greatly benefit our property in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n