During an eight-minute hearing in U. S. District Court in Springfield, Judge David Rush approved the government's motion to have Andrew Helsel, 31, held without bond. Since no evidence was presented by either the government or Helsel's attorney, the judge relied on the government's detention motion.
According to probable cause affidavits, the investigation into Helsel's alleged activities began September 17 when a federal agent received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Facebook reported a user, later identified as Helsel uploaded a video of the sexual assault of the girl.
From the news release from the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri:
On Oct. 2, 2018, an investigator with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office notified local authorities that an undercover officer had made contact with Helsel during their investigation on the KIK messaging application. Helsel allegedly offered files of child pornography to the undercover officer and other members of the KIK group, and sent the undercover officer pornographic images of child pornography.The investigation into Helsel's activities eventually led to the arrest of Gary McKinney, 43, an officer with the Joplin Police Department from 1999 to 2006, on child pornography charges.
McKinney's detention hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in Springfield.
3 comments:
Sad but true, this give the good officers a bad reputation and makes it hard to trust. I believe they both should have harsh punishments and not a cushy jail cell with cable. Hard labor away from society.
checked out McKinney's FB page. it is so damn scary how "normal" he looks with his family. makes me sick. god will make sure he gets his.
I pray everyday for this baby & wish I could do more for her, but the best thing for her is to make sure these predators never get out. I pray the judge sees through them and the "bad guys" get a punishment as severe as what was done to her. This sweet girl needs justice.
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