Warsaw man arrested on two counts of possession of child pornography

An investigation launched in the beginning of 2024 about an inappropriate relationship between a Warsaw man and a minor from New York has resulted in an arrest for allegedly possessing child pornography. 

Tyler Harmon, 25, is facing two counts of possession of child pornography, both Level 6 felonies. 

Court documents stated that a New York police investigator identified Harmon as being the 24 suspect accused of traveling to New York several times to have sexual relations with a minor. On January 31, investigators contacted Indiana State Police to help with the case.

New York investigators interviewed the minor, who revealed to police that the alleged relationship had started online in 2022. The minor further stated that between November 2022 to December 2023, Harmon traveled to New York to meet the minor in a hotel room on three seperate occasions. While at the hotel, it was stated that the two never left the room while they were together, and that Harmon mentioned that they would probably get in trouble if they were found together due to their age difference. 

The minor claimed that the two had been in a long-distance relationship, and that she told Harmon she was 15-years-old. 

The minor said that Harmon recorded their sexual interactions on his cellphone, and that the two exchanged nude images and other sexual content with each other. 

The minor stated that she told Harmon their parents had discovered the secret relationship, and that Harmon asked the girl to delete evidence on her phone, but that Harmon would save their interactions and photos on his phone. 

Investigators report finding evidence of the relationship in a search of the girl's phone soon.

The New York hotel was also confirmed by Harmon's credit card.

A detective with the Indiana State Police eventually interviewed Harmon on February 5. During the interview, Harmon admitted to knowing the minor, and communicating with her via social media, text, and phone calls. Harmon claimed that he thought the minor was 17. Harmon later changed his statement, claiming that he and the minor never discussed age but that he thought she was 18.

Harmon also admitted to first staying at a New York hotel in 2022, and that he had visited the victim a total of three times. Harmon told detectives that he made sexual recordings between him and the minor during an interaction at a hotel in December, 2023. 

A search warrant for Harmon's phone was obtained. A police sergeant located sexually explict exchanged between Harmon and the minor. Several text messages also refered to the minor's age. 75 images and videos between Harmon and the minor together were also discovered in the phone. 

Harmon was arrested on Monday and booked at the Kosiusko County Jail with a $5,250 surety and cash bond.