Serving the Steuben County 101 lakes area since 1857
Hamilton plans summer festival to replace fall event
Weather Cloudy today, with a chance of scattered showers. High 78. Low 55. Page A8
Page A2
SATURDAY, AUGUST 3, 2013
Angola, Indiana
GOOD MORNING
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Man admits to porn charge FROM STAFF REPORTS
FORT WAYNE — Joseph R. Topp, 20, Angola, entered a guilty plea before Magistrate Judge Roger B. Cosbey to the felony offense of distribution of child pornography in U.S. Federal District Court on Wednesday. Cosbey is recommending the district court accept the tendered guilty plea, a court news release said. Parties have 10 days in which to object to the magistrate judge’s recommendation. This case resulted from an
investigation by members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller Lowery. The initial charge alleged Topp, “knowingly distributed any visual depiction using any means or facility of interstate or foreign commerce, and the production of such depiction involved the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and such a visual
depiction was of such conduct.” Topp allegedly downloaded videos and images depicting child pornography at the home of his mother in rural Angola. The videos were downloaded over the Internet through a file-sharing site known as Omegle. After tracing the materials to the home’s Internet account and interviews with his mother, FBI officers set their sights on Topp at his dormitory room at Ball State University, where he had been a student. He was arraigned on the charge in November.
Topp admitted to downloading child pornography and also told FBI investigators he has made child pornography and has downloaded it to others, court documents said. The FBI investigation started in July 2012 before officers traced the materials to Topp in September, the documents said. Topp faces a possible sentence of 5 to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Attorney Stanley L. Campbell was appointed as counsel for Topp.
Inside today See the results and the photos from the Steuben County 4-H Fair in the 4-H Scrapbook, inside today’s Herald Republican.
Fremont man faces molesting charge
Vera Bradley expanding Fort Wayne operations FORT WAYNE — Vera Bradley Inc., a designer of handbags, gifts, travel bags and accessories, on Friday announced plans to expand its operations in Fort Wayne, creating up to 128 new jobs by 2017. The company will invest approximately $26.6 million to expand and equip its current 40,000-square-foot design center by 149,000 square feet and expand its distribution center by 10,000 square feet. Both facilities are on Stonebridge Road off the Lafayette Center Road exit on Interstate 69 and are expected to be operational next year. “We are proud to invest in our home state,” said Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, chief creative officer and co-founder.
Coming Sunday
Pianos on the Square
Everyone is invited to not only play but to attend free concerts with this interactive art exhibit, which features decorated pianos. Read more about the exhibit, going on now, in Auburn, Butler, Waterloo and Garrett.
Clip and Save Find $90 in coupon savings in Sunday’s newspaper.
Contact Us • The Herald Republican 45 S. Public Square Angola, IN 46703 Phone: (260) 665-3117 Fax: (260) 665-2322 Classifieds: (toll free) (877) 791-7877 Circulation: (800) 717-4679
Index • Classified.............................................. B7-B8 Life.................................................................A6 Obituaries.....................................................A4 Opinion .........................................................A5 Sports.................................................... B1-B3 Weather........................................................A8 TV/Comics ..................................................B6 Vol. 156 No. 212
BY MIKE MARTURELLO mmarturello@kpcmedia.com
ANGOLA — A Fremont man is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail in the Steuben County Jail for allegedly molesting a girl in July. Terry DeWayne Brown Jr., 38, is facing Class A felony child molesting for allegedly having sexual relations with a 13-year-old girl in a Fremont residence. Brown was arraigned before Magistrate Randy Coffey Friday afternoon. When being asked if he understood the PHOTO CONTRIBUTED charging documents The program was led by Nate Simons, left, of Children participating in No Child Left Indoors during his initial Blue Heron Ministries. receive magnifying glasses to observe wildlife in hearing, Brown a pond owned by the Lake George Conservancy. said, “I didn’t do it. Brown I read it, but I didn’t do it.” Police were called on July 14 to investigate an allegation of rape. The victim was taken to a Fort Wayne sexual assault facility for an exam and Brown submitted to request for DNA samples while being interviewed by Indiana State Police investigators in Angola. When ISP Detective Harry Nix LAKE GEORGE — The No walked through the woods on the lesson also included a tour of the asked Brown about the rape allegaChild Left Indoors program has conservancy property, watching 100 year-old cottage owned by tion, he said, “that’s not the way it finished up what organizers say and listening for birds. They George and Donna Hankins with happened,” court records said. was another successful year at decorated miniature bird houses as discussion about and photos from Following investigation by Lake George. their art project. the early days at Lake George. No Child Left Indoors is the Nate Simons of Blue Heron The children decorated reusable police, interviews with the Indiana Department of Child Services and nature study program for children Ministries taught about wetlands. tote bags with fish and sailboat opinions from medical personnel, ages 5-12 that’s sponsored by the The children used magnifying designs. Lake George Conservancy. lenses to view the tiny life forms Derek and Gayle Wyatt, owners an arrest warrant was issued for “Teaching children about nature that live in the water taken from of Big D’s Bait & Tackle, Angola, Brown on Thursday and he was arrested at his Fremont residence. is a fun, effective way to ensure the pond on conservancy property. supplied the bait for the fishing Brown faces up to 50 years in that they will be committed, future Janie Klingshirn, a former art session. The owners of The Lake prison if found guilty. stewards of our precious Lake teacher in Charlotte, Mich., led George Retreat made their lawn During his hearing Friday, George,” said Nancy Stiefel, a the children in making marbleized and piers available for the fishing James Burns was appointed as program organizer. paper, block prints and bookmarks. session. counsel for Brown. His next court Three free sessions took place Rick Stander of Lake George, The many volunteers, most of date is Oct. 7 in Steuben Circuit on Monday mornings in July. to a retired professional fisherman, whom are retired teachers, make Court for a pretrial hearing. noon. Marjorie Hershman from conducted the fishing session. the program happen, Stiefel said. A similar charge against Brown Pokagon State Park’s Nature Every child caught at least one Liz Poole coordinated the in 2011 was dismissed, court Center taught the children about bluegill and saw them cleaned and program with the help of Vicki birds of Indiana. The children filleted by Wally Leuenberger. The SEE LAKE GEORGE, PAGE A8 records indicate.
Lake George nature program reports another successful season
Threat sparks U.S. to issue travel warning WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States issued an extraordinary global travel warning to Americans Friday about the threat of an al-Qaida attack and closed down 21 embassies and consulates across the Muslim world for the weekend. The alert was the first of its kind since an announcement preceding the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This one comes with the scars still fresh from last year’s deadly Sept. 11 attack on a U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, and with the Obama administration and Congress determined to prevent any similar breach of an American Embassy or consulate.
“There is a significant threat stream and we’re reacting to it,” said Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He told ABC News in an interview to be aired Sunday that the threat was “more specific” than previous ones and the “intent is to attack Western, not just U.S. interests.” The State Department warning urged American travelers to take extra precautions overseas, citing potential dangers involved with public transportation systems and other prime sites for tourists and noting that previous terrorist attacks have centered on subway and rail networks as well as SEE THREAT, PAGE A8
AP
USS Indianapolis survivors gather Survivors of the World War II sinking of the USS Indianapolis pose for a group photo on Friday during a survivors gathering in the ship’s namesake city that could be their final reunion. Only 38 of the 317 survivors who were pulled from the Pacific’s shark-infested waters in August 1945 are still alive and they’re in their late 80s and early 90s.