Hammond Man Arrested on Child Exploitation Charges
On September 16, 2025, Rogelio Herrera Jr., 22, of Hammond, was arrested by members of the Indiana State Police on an outstanding warrant issued by the Porter County Sheriff’s Department.
This arrest was the result of an extensive investigation which originated in California. The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office received a report that an unknown individual had been communicating with an eleven-year-old boy via multiple social media applications. The child was determined to be safe, and no physical contact was ever made.
Multiple search warrants and subpoenas were issued, and several digital devices were examined as the investigation progressed.
The investigation revealed that the communications originated from Indiana and the case was transferred to the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. A forensic examination later conducted by the Indiana State Police Digital Forensics Unit of a device recovered from the suspect revealed multiple files containing Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM).
Mr. Herrera was taken into custody during a traffic stop and transported to the Porter County Jail where he faces the following charges:
Possession of Child Pornography, Level 5 Felony (3 Counts)
Possession of Child Pornography, Level 6 Felony (1 Count)
Assisting: Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana State Police District 13, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, Portage Police Department, and the Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section.
All suspects are presumed innocent until convicted in a court of law.
