Staff Report

Joel Jacob McClure

SOUTH WHITLEY — A registered sex offender in Whitley County was recently arrested for allegedly engaging in inappropriate conduct with a child.

Joel Jacob McClure, 37, 8400 W. SR 14, South Whitley, is charged with vicarious sexual gratification, a level 4 felony; child solicitation, a level 5 felony; possession of child pornography and two counts of failure to register as a sex offender, all level 6 felonies; and three counts of failure to notify an absence of a sexually violent predator, all class A misdemeanors.

On Nov. 2, 2023, a Whitley County Sheriff’s Department detective was asked to help with surveillance on a home in South Whitley. It was believed McClure was possibly having sexual contact with a child.

During a week-long time frame, law enforcement noticed McClure was not at his registered address in South Whitley and that it appeared no one was living at the location. As of Nov. 13, 2023, McClure did not file new information for his sex offender registration.

According to court documents, officers obtained a search warrant for phone records and determined several days where McClure was gone without notifying the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department as required.

On Oct. 2, 2023, McClure left his home, traveling through Ohio and going to Pennsylvania. He did not return until Oct. 8, 2023. McClure also stayed in Indianapolis from Oct. 9 to Oct. 15, 2023. He also went to California and Texas between Oct. 23 and Nov. 9, 2023. During all of these time frames, McClure left his home for extended periods of time without notifying law enforcement.

Local law enforcement also met with an Illinois detective who was investigating McClure for allegedly giving a child THC gummies and inappropriately touching them. Phone records showed McClure was sending inappropriate material of himself to the child and requesting the child send him inappropriate material of themselves, which they did.

Upon further investigation, officers learned about a social media account McClure had. This account was not registered with the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department as required. It was also determined McClure was working for a business in Fort Wayne and never registered his employer as required.

McClure was booked in the Whitley County Jail on Jan. 20.