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Convicted sex offender back in jail after photo surfaces on his cell phone

Wednesday, July 1, 2009
By Anna Rochelle, Staff Writer

Chet M. Mitchell of Vincennes
[Click to enlarge]

Law enforcement wasted no time in getting a 32-year-old convicted sexual offender back in jail Tuesday after a picture, taken Friday, of him touching a 14-year-old girl was found on his cell phone and reported to police Sunday.

Chet M. Mitchell of Vincennes was booked into the Greene County Jail where he is being held in lieu of $20,000 bond.

Greene County Sheriff's Deputy Terry Wade made the arrest after he interviewed Mitchell on Tuesday about the picture.

On Wednesday, the Greene County Prosecutor's Office filed preliminary charges against Mitchell of child exploitation, a class C felony, and sexual misconduct with a minor, also a class C felony.

Mitchell was scheduled to appear at an initial hearing in Greene Superior Court on Thursday.

Deputy Wade began his investigation Sunday after he was contacted by Officer Debbie McDonald of the Linton Police Department for assistance with a child pornography investigation.

According to a probable cause affidavit, McDonald was contacted by a person who had Mitchell's cell phone in their possession after Mitchell left it lying in a car. When someone picked the phone up thinking they would look for ringtones, they found a nude picture of a girl they knew. When handing the phone over to Officer McDonald, they advised her that Mitchell was a registered sex offender.

Chet Murle Mitchell of 497 E. Robinson Lane, Lot 7, Vincennes, is listed on the Indiana Sheriff's Sex and Violent Offender Registry. According to information on the registry's Web site, Mitchell was convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor in Greene Circuit Court in 2003. He was sentenced to 10 years with six of those years suspended leaving four to serve. He was released from prison on March 19, 2008.

Deputy Wade wrote in the affidavit that Officer McDonald did not view the photos or the other contents of the device but handed it over to him. Wade also did not view the photos or the contents but placed the phone into an evidence locker at the Sheriff's Department after it was given to him.

It was not until after a search warrant was obtained from Greene Circuit Court for the device and all information stored on it that the deputy went through the contents on the phone.

Wade said the phone contained two photos taken on Friday of a 14-year-old female from Greene County. One photo showed the girl's face and chest but she was fully clothed. The second photo showed the girl with her breasts exposed and a man's hand touching her. Wade also noted that the phone contained an exchange of text messages between Mitchell and the girl.

Wade interviewed the girl and then Mitchell.

According to the affidavit, the girl said she was with Mitchell on Friday at her home, he had taken the pictures during that time and they had exchanged text messages in the past. She also said Mitchell had first touched her then started grabbing her. She identified the hand in the picture as Mitchell's hand.

The affidavit says when Mitchell was interviewed, he admitted to being in the house alone with the girl on Friday and admitted to taking the fully clothed picture but denied taking the nude picture.

Comments

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Lock him up!

-- Posted by MinerDistraction on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 4:05 PM

Maybe a trial and a conviction FIRST ?

We still uphold innocent untill proven guilty, well atleast we did until the Republicans/Bush took office and changed all that.

So yeah follow the republican lead and hang him now.

If that will make you all feel better.

-- Posted by Evolouie on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 6:52 PM

Wow

I hope this girl gets the help she needs. As for him, I'll wager he's unable to be rehabilitated. I hope he gets life.

-- Posted by Blueyedame on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 7:47 PM

First of all - what in the world does political party have to do with this story... he is innocent until proven guilty - but what has been presented is certainly not casting a good light on this man. Let's be more concerned about the victim than politics.

Dear anyone...Being proud of being a democrat and NEVER voting any other way shows that you don't think for yourself - you allow yourself to be told for whom to vote...there are both good and bad on both sides of party lines. (Let's not forget Clinton's little fiasco with Monica - tainting the Oval Office.

Dear Evo...You might consider that detaining someone suspected of planning harmful acts was the results of a terrible bombing IN our country by those from OUTSIDE our country....and expediency was necessary...voted on by both Democrats and Republicans...and if you think what was done during that time was bad, just wait until you can't even maintain a decent temperature in your home without paying a TAX on it.... start reading more widely... there are going to be more liberties lost...who will you blame for that...

-- Posted by gardengal#1 on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 9:16 PM

I totally agree with "gardengal#1" this has nothing to do with politics. It doesn't sound like a trial and conviction is really necessary when you have that much evidence against him! The man is a sex offender and needs to be locked up. He obviously didn't learn his lesson the first time!

-- Posted by jl71132 on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 10:17 PM

These types of people are no rehabable. Period! Castration is about the only thing that will stop them.

-- Posted by peanut338 on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 10:18 PM

If a court trial proves him guilty, lock him up. If there is reasonable doubt, he still remains in the Sex Offender Registry.

But either way, his guilt or innocence will never be determined in this comment section.

Evolouie? I'm a registered, voting Republican, NOT that anyone's party affiliation determines a person's innocence or guilt.

-- Posted by L A on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 10:21 PM

Anyonebut, I understand what you're implying. Paying no attention to due process goes against what a democrat is made of.

At the same time, this guy's had too many chances. He's on the sreets, in the stores, at the park with all our kids. That disgusts me enough to not also think; "just hang the bastard already."

-- Posted by Blueyedame on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 10:23 PM

Gardengal,

First off there is nothing wrong with detaining somone for suspected crimes if you have the evidence and plan to, at some point bring them before a jury.

Our constitution provides for just such things.

However when you lock someone up for suspicion with no intent of bringing them before a jury of their peers you have made great strides in removing the very foundation of our judicial system. Our constitution states that those suspected of crimes must be brought before a jury of their peers and be given an oppertunity to see the evidence against them and to face their accusers.

I am just saying that we should hold to those standards for everyone, no matter who they are.

And as for reading more widley, you have no idea how many hundreds of books that I have read or what kinds of books they were.

So you are arguing from a point of ignorance.

And as for liberties lost.

Anyone who gives up liberty for security has neither. Look it up.

Oh and taxes, thats a whole nother post.

-- Posted by Evolouie on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 10:25 PM

Anyone,

You want to talk about tainting the oval office.

How about torture, how about lying to congress and the american public and starting a useless and illegal war in Iraq where we have lost to many brave soldiers in a war of choice brought on by undoubtedly the stupidest man to ever hold the office.

And all you can talk about is Clintons infidelity.

Which by the way was none of our business.

-- Posted by Evolouie on Wed, Jul 1, 2009, at 10:35 PM

This article has NOTHING to do with Bush or Clinton, Republicans, Democrats, or what I had for dinner last night so stay on the subject.

He is a pediphile that preys on our innocent children everyday. he is a disgusting man with disgusting habits in cases where you have child molesters and people who murder children my opinion is Guilty until Proven Innocent.

He needs to realize he is sick and he needs to either make an effort towards getting better or just go to prison where he can once again be violated. Just my opinion

-- Posted by PROUD_MOMMY09 on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, at 6:50 AM

I agree with those on here who say that once a pedophile always one, outside of a miracle transformation, this guy will not change, lock him up, throw away the key! He should not be free to do this to another child!

-- Posted by sassy12 on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, at 8:04 AM

Stupid criminal of the day!

-- Posted by CROSSWAY on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, at 8:49 AM

peanut338

I am with you on this, but castration will not stop these individuals from molesting. I had to do a research paper on this subject. For one if they do chemical castration it is reversiable all they have to do is stop the treatment. Chemical is an on going process. The sad thing is to for those who molest, there are other things they can and will use to molest children.

I think we need to put them all on an island off to themselves and let them fend for themselves.

-- Posted by doodlebug on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, at 9:55 AM

as long as trhe courts plea bargain and reduce sentences,this will continue

-- Posted by T-REX on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, at 10:12 AM

I say the courts need to lock this guy up for good. Get rid of this guy into D.O.C. and quick.

-- Posted by luvngreeneco on Thu, Jul 2, 2009, at 11:40 AM

This guy is truly a menace to society, especially the youth of our society. It is clear that the time he spent in prison did little or no good at rehabilitating him or giving him the good sense to deter from pedophilia. I say, Lock the jerk up and throw away the key.

-- Posted by dennisb1953 on Fri, Jul 3, 2009, at 9:33 AM

Were is this 14 year old girls parents?

-- Posted by Carson_drew on Sat, Jul 4, 2009, at 12:52 PM