HENDRICKS COUNTY, Ind. — A guard in the Hendricks County Work Release Facility has been charged after he reportedly sent a photo of his genitals to an inmate.
According to court documents, filed earlier this month in Hendricks County, Andrew Whitman was charged with one count of sexual misconduct with a service provider, a Level 6 felony.
Officials with the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office were first made aware of a potential incident between Whitman and an inmate in late April. An investigation uncovered text messages between Whitman and the inmate, including a photo that Whitman took of his genitals that he reportedly sent to the inmate.
The documents state that the messages were “consistent with two people who were engaged in a romantic relationship, including messages that were of a sexual nature.”
In an interview with the inmate, she said the first messages between her and Whitman reportedly occurred in February. They reportedly met once outside of the facility and she told officials that she was “concerned about retaliation from Whitman or someone else.”
On May 15, Whitman reportedly spoke with investigators. The documents said that Whitman reportedly admitted to being the person who sent the texts and was the person in the explicit photograph.
During the interview, Whitman reportedly told the department that he was “dumb” and all they did was “text (and) send pictures.” Officials told Whitman at that point that given his position as a guard with the facility, he had power over the inmate, and “regardless of consent, their relationship was illegal.”
“We made plans like to be together and stuff like that,” Whitman reportedly told investigators. “I opened up and I should’ve never done any of it and I mean, it’s been… weighing on me since I left… I’ve never been in trouble before and this whole thing is just insane like I mean… she sent pictures back… I’m just saying, I’m not justifying my actions.”
According to court documents, Whitman’s initial hearing in this case is scheduled for June 5.
