Portsmouth couple charged with pandering obscenity
Scioto County Sheriff David Thoroughman announced that his office was contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) on Sept. 3, reporting that during an investigation they were conducting, the FBI allegedly found electronic messages that appeared to be adults discussing having sexual relations with children. The FBI also allegedly discovered videos and pictures of children.
Detectives, working jointly with the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and Scioto County Children Services, were able to identify the subjects involved and located an address of the alleged suspects.
Sheriff Thoroughman stated that the investigation revealed that adult males were getting online in chat rooms. They were allegedly chatting with other adults about sexual acts with children, and they were allegedly exchanging and downloading child pornography.
Detectives responded to a residence on Old Scioto Trail in Portsmouth and interviewed two male subjects. This resulted in seizing two cell phones.
While at the residence detectives observed a canine running around inside. It was determined, from another investigation, that the dog had allegedly been taken from a residence a few blocks away without permission.
Arrested were Richard Joshua Dane Patrick Buck, 28, and Keith Ray Starrett, 32, both of Portsmouth. Both have been charged with six (6) counts of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor, a felony of the second degree.
Starrett in being held on a $120,000 bond, and Buck is being held without bond due to having a probation holder placed on him. Both appeared Thursday, Sept. 5 in Portsmouth Municipal Court.
Sheriff Thoroughman stated that this is still an ongoing investigation that will result in more charges being presented to the Scioto County grand jury on a later date to include the alleged theft of the dog.
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