JEFFERSON COUNTY (EYT) – Punxsutawney-based State Police’s criminal investigation unit filed a slew of charges today against two area residents accused of various sex crimes involving a child.
State police filed additional charges against 42-year-old Kevin Michael Kight, of Punxsutawney, and 41-year-old Rebecca Caroline Gardner of Indiana, Pa., in connection with an ongoing investigation involving the sexual abuse of children.
State police say the investigation was initiated after pornographic images were discovered on a cell phone belonging to Kight.
Following the execution of search warrants on the residences of Kight and Gardner, various electronic devices were seized, including cellular phones and computers.
It was later determined that Kight exchanged Facebook messages with Gardner to allegedly arrange a sexual encounter with a 4-year-old female.
In addition to the messages, at least 500 photographs of the victim were discovered on Kight’s computer. The photographs depicted the victim in various stages of nudity, state police say.
Gardner is accused of taking and sending at least 89 photographs of the child to Kight.
Kight has been charged with following offenses:
- Criminal Solicitation/Rape, one count
- Criminal Solicitation/Statutory Sexual Assault, one count
- Criminal Solicitation/Sexual Assault, one count
- Criminal Solicitation/Indecent Assault, one count
- Criminal Conspiracy/Rape, one count
- Criminal Conspiracy/Statutory Sexual Assault, one count
- Criminal Conspiracy/Sexual Assault, one count
- Criminal Conspiracy/Indecen Assault, one count
- Sexual Abuse of Children, 500 counts
- Criminal Solicitation/Sexual Abuse of Children, 500 counts
Gardner has been charged with the following offenses:
- Criminal Solicitation/Rape, one count
- Criminal Conspiracy/Statutory Sexual Assault, one count
- Criminal Conspiracy/Sexual Assault, one count
- Criminal Conspiracy/Indecent Assault, one count
- Criminal Conspiracy/Sexual Abuse of Children, one count
- Sexual Abuse of Children/Photographing, Videotaping, Depicting on Computer or Filming Sexual Acts, 89 counts
- Sexual Abuse of Children/Dissemination of Photographs, Videotapes, Computer Depictions and Films, 89 counts
The charges were filed at Magisterial District Judge Robert Chambers’ office in Punxsutawney.
Kight and Gardner remain lodged in the Jefferson County Jail.
Punxsutawney-based state police were assisted in the investigation by members of PSP-Indiana, the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office, Jefferson County Children & Youth Services, Indiana County Children & Youth Services and the Indiana County Child Advocacy Center.
Kight is also facing charges in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl. Court documents show that jury selection in that case was slated for yesterday but had to be cancelled. There is no word on when the trial will take place.
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