David Freeman v. State of Indiana (mem. dec.)

Indiana Court of Appeals·Decided August 8, 2018·No. 49A02-1710-CR-2297·Published

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION Pursuant to Ind. Appellate Rule 65(D), FILED this Memorandum Decision shall not be Aug 08 2018, 9:02 am regarded as precedent or cited before any CLERK

court except for the purpose of establishing Indiana Supreme Court Court of Appeals

the defense of res judicata, collateral and Tax Court

estoppel, or the law of the case.

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE Victoria Bailey Curtis T. Hill, Jr. Marion County Public Defender Agency Attorney General of Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana J.T. Whitehead

Michael G. Moore Deputy Attorney General Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis, Indiana

IN THE

COURT OF APPEALS OF INDIANA

David Freeman, August 8, 2018 Appellant-Defendant, Court of Appeals Case No.

49A02-1710-CR-2297

v. Appeal from the Marion Superior Court

State of Indiana, The Honorable Appellee-Plaintiff. Mark D. Stoner, Judge Trial Court Cause No.

49G06-1604-F5-12303

Kirsch, Judge.

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1710-CR-2297 | August 8, 2018 Page 1 of 17

[1] Following a bench trial, David Freeman (“Freeman”) was convicted of Level 5 felony child solicitation,1 Level 5 felony conspiracy to commit child exploitation,2 and Level 6 felony dissemination of material harmful to minors. 3 Freeman appeals and raises the two following restated issues:

I. Whether the evidence was sufficient to support Freeman’s conviction for child solicitation; and

II. Whether the evidence was sufficient to support Freeman’s conviction for conspiracy to commit child exploitation.

[2] We affirm.

Facts and Procedural History [3] During the period of time between February 2015 and March 2016, A.G. was

eleven and twelve years old, and Freeman was eighteen and nineteen years old. State’s Ex. 8. During this time, A.G. lived with her mother (“Mother”) and exercised parenting time with her father (“Father”), sometimes splitting her time equally between them. Tr. Vol. II at 9, 15. A.G. first became acquainted with Freeman when A.G.’s step-sister (“Sister”), who was five years older than A.G., was communicating with Freeman via FaceTime on Sister’s cell phone, and A.G. was sitting nearby. Another time, Sister’s phone battery was dead, so

1 See Ind. Code § 35-42-4-6(b).

2 See Ind. Code §§ 35-42-4-4(b), 35-41-5-2.

3 See Ind. Code § 35-49-3-3(a)(1).

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1710-CR-2297 | August 8, 2018 Page 2 of 17

Sister used A.G.’s phone to communicate with Freeman, and it was by this means that A.G. learned Freeman’s phone number. A.G. and Freeman began communicating with each other on various phone apps and social media platforms, including FaceTime, Snapchat, and Instagram. A.G. initially believed Freeman was fifteen or sixteen years of age, but later learned he was older. A.G. told Freeman her age in one of their first conversations. Id. at 21.

[4] The two communicated by text and developed what A.G. believed was a romantic relationship. Freeman told A.G. that she was “pretty” and said things to A.G. such as “I love you” and “I can’t wait until we can be together.” Id. at 24, 29. On one occasion, A.G. told Freeman that another boy was “asking [her] out[,]” and Freeman told her to tell the boy that she already had a boyfriend. Id. at 29. Freeman told A.G. that he was grateful for her, that he was upset because he was not allowed to hold her and touch her, that he wanted her to know he would always want her, and that he would always be there for her. State’s Ex. 1A at 24. A.G. told Freeman that she knew “a lot of older men are attracted to younger women,” and she hoped that Freeman did not like her only because of her looks and her body, and he told her that he liked her “a lot more than that.” Id. at 22.

[5] In the course of their ongoing conversations on social media, Freeman asked A.G. to send him photographs of herself, and she “repeatedly told him no” because she “was completely uncomfortable doing it.” Id. at 24-25. When she would tell him no, “[h]e would get upset” and act in what she felt was a “passive aggressive way” by blocking her or not answering her. Id. at 25, 26. Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1710-CR-2297 | August 8, 2018 Page 3 of 17

A.G. eventually sent nude photos of herself “because [she] really liked [Freeman]” and believed that “the only reason he would ever like me” is if she sent the pictures. Id. at 27. A.G. estimated that she sent “more than fifteen” nude photographs of herself to Freeman, and, although she saved some of their text communications, she did not save any of the photographs. Id. at 28, 30, 31-34, 37; State’s Exs. 3, 4, 5, 6. Freeman sent “probably about the same” number of pictures of his penis to A.G. Tr. Vol. II at 28, 51.

[6] Freeman and A.G. talked about meeting in person, although they never did, other than seeing each other at church on a few occasions, and at those times they either did not speak to each other or only said “hi.” Id. at 38. A.G. testified that “[Freeman] would talk about meeting me and having sex.” Id. at 30, 50. Freeman wrote to A.G. stating, “I want to make love to you[,]” and for their relationship to go where he already knew it was going, “and that is love” and “after love, sex[.]” State’s Ex. 1A at 23; State’s Ex. 3 at 4.

[7] In March 2016, Father discovered some text messages on A.G.’s phone between her and Freeman, including one or more requests from Freeman for A.G. to send him nude photographs of herself. Father contacted Freeman, telling Freeman that he was A.G.’s father. Freeman “volunteered that if this was in regards to A.G., that he would stop communicating with her.” Tr. Vol. II at 11. Father asked Freeman how old he was, and Freeman said he was seventeen. Id. At some later date, Father discovered on A.G.’s phone more “inappropriate messages” between her and Freeman, and through online research, Father located a phone number for the Freeman household and Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1710-CR-2297 | August 8, 2018 Page 4 of 17 contacted Freeman’s father. Id. at 12. Father learned through Freeman’s father that Freeman was not seventeen years old, as he had said he was. Father also contacted Mother, the police, and the prosecutor’s office. Mother also contacted and spoke with the police.

[8] Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (“IMPD”) Detective David Miller (“Detective Miller”) made a police report, and he contacted cybercrimes Detective Laura Smith (“Detective Smith”), who worked in the sex crimes division. Father provided Detective Smith with a screenshot of some of the communications with Freeman on A.G.’s phone. In a screenshot from July 2015, Freeman told A.G. that he was not jealous about her boyfriend anymore, and A.G. replied, “Great. Have fun being a perv and trying to get other 12 year olds to send you nudes.” State’s Ex. 7.

[9] Detective Smith interviewed A.G. and Father, and she collected various devices that A.G. had used to communicate with Freeman, including her phone, iPad, and a laptop. Father gave his consent to a forensic search, which was conducted by IMPD Detective Grant Melton (“Detective Melton”). Detective Smith also obtained and executed a search warrant on Freeman and his residence, recovering Freeman’s iPhone and two iPods. She also interviewed Freeman.

[10] During his interview, Freeman stated that he knew A.G. was twelve years old and admitted that he asked A.G. to engage in sexual activity but denied that he intended to act on it. Tr. Vol. II at 50. He admitted that A.G. complied with

Court of Appeals of Indiana | Memorandum Decision 49A02-1710-CR-2297 | August 8, 2018 Page 5 of 17 his request that she send him photographs and that she sent him one in shorts in which her bottom was arousing to him, so he complimented her and requested nudes, which she sent. Id. A.G. also sent photographs revealing her breasts. Id. at 51. Freeman admitted sending pictures of his penis to A.G.

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