Merrillville Man Charged in Child Pornography Case Following Snapchat Tip
A Merrillville man is facing a felony charge after a Snapchat tip led to a child pornography investigation conducted by Indiana State Police.
According to court documents, the case began when Snapchat reported four explicit videos involving minors to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The material was uploaded to the platform on January 1, 2025, and was flagged as child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Information from the report led investigators to an internet account located at a Merrillville residence. Authorities identified 28-year-old Jayleen O. Hanley as the suspect, after tracing associated email addresses and account data back to him. Hanley’s BMV records and date of birth matched those tied to the Snapchat activity.
Indiana State Police executed a search warrant at the residence on July 3, 2025, where Hanley was located and detained. Officers recovered a black iPhone and a Samsung tablet, which Hanley confirmed were his.
During the police interview, Hanley acknowledged owning the email and social media accounts connected to the flagged content but claimed he no longer used them. He denied intentionally accessing or distributing the material but did not rule out the possibility that he may have viewed it. He also confirmed being home on the date the content was uploaded and admitted to using a username matching the one found in the filenames.
Charge filed on July 3, 2025:
• Possession of Child Pornography with Aggravating Factor – Level 5 Felony
Hanley is currently lodged in the Lake County Jail.
