By SYDNEY KENT
A man was denied a bond reduction nine months after he was arrested for child solicitation.
Jonathon Dickey, 53, Poneto, was caught by the nonprofit group Predator Catchers Inc. in June 2023. Dickey was one of nearly 10 PCI arrests facilitated in the county in recent years.
During a pretrial conference in the Wells Circuit Court in mid-March, Dickey requested a reduction in his $55,000 bond.
The prosecution pointed out that even if Dickey was released, he would be arrested in Howard County for a pending warrant for operating a vehicle after forfeiture of a license, a Level 5 felony.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Dickey sent sexually suggestive and explicit messages to who he believed to be 12-and 13-year-old girls named “Katie” and “Grace.” Both girls were the same decoy from PCI.
The app “Mingle2” was used to begin the conversations.
Dickey is the only suspect so far that is charged with a Level 5 felony rather than a Level 4 felony for child solicitation. The nature of Dickey’s arrest differs as well.
In similar cases, the sting was arranged at a local store like Walmart or Kroger. In Dickey’s case, he allegedly gave the decoy his home address after a failed attempt to meet at the Southern Wells High School in June.
Members of PCI confronted Dickey at his address and posed as the mother of one of the underage girls until officers arrived.
Dickey is scheduled for a three-day trial by jury in this case at 9 a.m. on May 20.
sydney@news-banner.com
