Couple Plead Guilty to Charges in Child Sex Case

Scott Shindledecker

Scott Shindledecker

Published November 8, 2016 5:31 am
Couple Plead Guilty to Charges in Child Sex Case

BROOKVILLE, Pa. (EYT) — A Punxsutawney man and an Indiana woman face several decades in prison after pleading guilty to numerous counts in relation to sex crimes involving a four-year-old girl.

According to court documents, on November 2, Kevin Kight, 42, of Punxsutawney, pleaded guilty to statutory sexual assault; solicitation rape of a child; solicitation disseminate child porn; 18 counts of possession of child porn; and other related charges.

Rebecca Gardner, 41, of Indiana, pleaded guilty to 89 counts of photographing sexual acts, 89 counts of dissemination of photographs, and other charges related to the case.

According to a previously-published story on exploreJeffersonpa.com, State Trooper Clark of the Punxsutawney-based State Police was assigned to conduct an investigation in December 2015 involving Kight concerning allegations he had been receiving nude photographs.

The incident occurred at Kight’s residence located at 161 Calvary Lane, in Young Township, Jefferson County. Trooper Clark interviewed a known woman who stated that she discovered two nude photographs (of a 4-year-old girl) on Kight’s cell phone.

The complaint states that on December 15, 2015, Trooper Clark interviewed Kight at the Punxsutawney barracks. During the interview, Kight allegedly admitted to exchanging text and Facebook messages with a known woman for approximately 10 years.

Kight stated that he received two nude photographs of a four-year-old girl on his cell phone. Kight gave Trooper Clark permission to examine his cell phone, and while doing so, Clark observed the two referenced nude photographs (of the four-year-old girl) and 72 additional nude photographs.

On December 15, 2015, Indiana-based State Police were contacted, and Cpl. Aloi and Trooper Lindsay were dispatched to Rebecca Caroline Gardner‘s residence. She was advised of her Miranda Warnings around 9:38 p.m.

She allegedly admitted to Cpl. Aloi that she had been sending nude photographs of the four-year-old girl to Kevin Kight.

On December 16, 2015, Gardner met with Trooper Goswick at PSP Indiana for a formal interview. Gardner allegedly admitted that she had been sending pictures of the four-year-old girl in various stages of undress to include nude photographs of the child to Kight.

Gardner stated that Kight requested pictures of the child and she complied with the requests. Gardner stated that she and Kight communicate via cell phone and Facebook messenger, the complaint indicates.

Trooper Goswick asked Gardner if by sending images of the four-year-old girl to Kight she knew it was for the purpose of sexual arousal. Gardner allegedly stated she knew it aroused Kight, and she was sexually aroused, the complaint states.

On December 16, 2015, State Troopers Clark and Powell interviewed Gardner at Punxsutawney Station. Gardner allegedly admitted she was responsible for taking photographs (of the four-year-old girl) and sending them to Kight, the complaint states.

On December 17, 2015, State Troopers Ronan and Powell interviewed Kight at Punxsutawney Station.

During the interview, Kight allegedly admitted to the following crimes:

• There are “hundreds” of photographs on his computer.

• He had underwear in his possession.

• He identified several nude photographs seized from his residence.

• He confirmed he and Rebecca Gardner exchanged Facebook messages of a planned encounter with the child that was scheduled to take place on or about December 16, 2015, at his residence for the purpose of a sexual intercourse. He admitted the encounter did not take place because of his arrest.

Seized from Kight’s residence were a computer, photographs, and female underwear.

Seized from Gardner’s residence were a computer and cell phones.

Data was also seized from Facebook accounts.

On January 22, 2016, a Bureau of Crime Investigation report was released with the following findings:

• Over 300 images and messages were found on Kight’s cell phone pertaining to this investigation were located.

• Over 1,500 pictures were discovered on Kight’s second cell phone. At a minimum, there are 500 photographs (of a four-year-old girl) in various stages of undress and nudity including photographs.

• Over 4,500 pictures were discovered on Kight’s computer. At a minimum, there are 500 photographs (of a child) in various stages of undress and nudity were discovered including photographs.

• Over 200 pictures (of a child) were discovered on Gardner’s cell phone in various stages of nudity. The photographs included (the child) wearing underwear, using the restroom while seated on the toilet, and what appears to be soiled underwear.

On April 19, 2016, Detective Robert Erdely, who is assigned to the Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, completed an analysis of photographs on Kight’s computer and Gardner’s cellular phone, indicating the photographs are the same.

On May 4, 2016, police were able to identify 89 photographs on Gardner’s cell phone that had been sent to Kight’s cell phones and computer. The photographs depicted the four-year-old girl.

According to court documents, on November 2, an order for Pre-sentence Investigation was issued.

Kight and Gardner remain lodged in the Jefferson County Jail.

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