WASHINGTON COUNTY, Indiana — A 43-year-old Indiana man was arrested on multiple charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of a minor.
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Indiana State Police (ISP) troopers arrested 43-year-old Jacob Hayes of Washington County, Indiana, on Wednesday morning on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges.
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The charges stem from an investigation that began in January 2026 after an Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) family case manager reported allegations of inappropriate sexual contact.
Detectives and DCS personnel conducted the investigation, including a forensic interview of the victim at a local child advocacy center.
Following review of the interview and the investigation, the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office obtained a warrant charging Hayes with the following charges:
- One count of child molesting, a Level 1 felony
- One count of child molesting, a Level 4 felony
- Eleven counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, each a Level 4 felony
- Two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, each a Level 5 felony
- Two counts of dissemination of matter harmful to minors, each a Level 6 felony
- Two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, each a Class A misdemeanor
Hayes was transported to the Washington County Jail, where he is being held without bond pending initial court appearance.
The incident remains under investigation at this time.
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