Michigan City man faces child pornography charges

MICHIGAN CITY | A Michigan City man was charged in connection with child pornography after local and federal officials searched his home Tuesday, police said.

Billy Ray Bowen Jr., 49, was taken into custody after investigators took a desktop computer from his home with suspected child pornography on it, Michigan City Detective Matthew Barr said.

Michigan City police and the FBI executed a search warrant at Bowen's home in the 1800 block of Greenwood Avenue and determined the suspected pornography belonged to Bowen and not any other residents of the home, Barr said.

Bowen had been the subject of an investigation for more than a month, police said. He was charged with child exploitation, a Class C felony, and possession of child pornography, a Class D felony, in LaPorte Circuit Court. More charges are pending, police said.

Bowen was being held at the LaPorte County Jail late Thursday.

Michigan City police asked that anyone with information about crimes relating to child pornography or exploitation call the crime tip hotline at (219) 873-1488.