McClendon
An Indianapolis man arrested in a child solicitation sting last week is now facing a sex trafficking charge.
Deon Dwayne McClendon, 52, is charged with the promotion of child sexual trafficking, a Level 3 felony, in Johnson Superior Court 3. He was one of 22 men arrested as part of a child solicitation sting operation by Johnson County law enforcement last week.
McClendon was arrested after he allegedly traveled to a location in Johnson County after communicating via text message and phone calls that were sexual in nature with a female posing as a 15-year-old girl. He is accused of traveling to Johnson County to meet with and take the undercover detective posing as a 15-year-old female to another location for purposes of engaging in sex acts with adults for money, according to a news release from the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office issued Monday.
“This is the first time we have seen this type of case in Johnson County,” said Lance Hamner, Johnson County prosecutor, in the news release. “We are very pleased with the hard work of the officers in this task force in this operation.”
During the conversations with the 15-year-old decoy, McLendon reportedly asked what the “rates” were for sexual acts being offered. He reportedly offered his assistance to help them “get their bag up,” or increase their profits, according to a probable cause affidavit.
McClendon also allegedly asked for a nude photo of the decoy, with prosecutors saying his reasoning behind the request was a sign he knew he was taking part in an illegal act. When the decoy told McClendon she was home alone, he reportedly told her to pack an overnight bag and he would take her to Indianapolis to show her how to make money, the affidavit says.
After the decoy asked what McClendon’s teaching would entail, he allegedly said promoting prostitution was something he did. He added that the decoy’s age was a “a big deal” and he was “risking a lot,” according to the affidavit.
He also refused to discuss sex with the decoy, which led to them saying if sex for money wasn’t happening, he wasn’t to show up. McClendon allegedly then said they’d talk about it, and then drove 33 minutes to the decoy’s address, the affidavit shows.
During an interview with detectives, McClendon reportedly admitted to finding a 15-year-old on a prostitution site that he was going to bring to Indianapolis. He also reportedly brought condoms with him, though he said they were for someone else, the affidavit shows.
He also told detectives he had previously provided protection and guidance to a prostitute last year, taking whatever they offered as payment. McClendon also maintained he wasn’t going to personally have sex with the decoy, but detectives say he had enough money on him to cover the quoted rate of sex as provided by the decoy, the affidavit shows.
McClendon has been previously charged with dealing cocaine, possession of a firearm by a felon, invasion of privacy and promoting prostitution. His last arrests, for promoting prostitution and invasion of privacy, occurred in 2017.
Over three days last week, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the Franklin, Edinburgh and Greenfield police departments and the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office carried out another multi-day “child predator sting operation.” It is the latest operation in a series of ongoing efforts to identify, arrest and charge individuals attempting to exploit and victimize children, the sheriff’s office announced in a Friday news release.
The 22 people arrested came from as far as Pendleton, Spencer, Noblesville and Bloomington, and were between the ages of 24 and 58. They were arrested on charges such as child solicitation, possession of a controlled substance, public indecency and driving while suspended.
Since local law enforcement began conducting solicitation operations in 2020, a total of 127 people have been arrested.
