Cyber Tip Leads to Multi‑Agency Investigation and Felony Charges and update from the Indiana State Police Lowell Post

Lake County, IN – The Lake County Prosecutor’s Office has approved multiple felony charges against Kevin Richard Osika, 24, of Cedar Lake, following an extensive investigation conducted by the Indiana State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit in cooperation with the United States Secret Service.

The investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) provided a cyber‑tip regarding suspicious online activity involving an Instagram user. Investigators identified Osika as the individual associated with the account. In February 2025, he was taken into custody on an unrelated outstanding arrest warrant issued by the Hammond Police Department.

During interviews with investigators from the Indiana State Police and the United States Secret Service, additional criminal activity came to light. A search warrant was executed at a residence in the 15000 block of Sheffield Avenue in Cedar Lake, where multiple electronic devices were seized. A forensic examination conducted by the Indiana State Police Digital Forensics Unit located additional evidence, leading to the newly filed charges.

Osika was recently convicted and sentenced in Lake County Superior Court in connection with the original Hammond Police Department investigations. While awaiting transfer to the Indiana Department of Correction, the new charges were formally served. He remains housed in the Lake County Jail pending further court proceedings.

New Charges Filed:

• Child Molesting, Level 1 Felony
• Child Molesting, Level 3 Felony
• Child Molesting, Level 4 Felony
• Incest, Level 4 Felony
• Child Exploitation, Level 4 Felony (3 counts)
• Child Exploitation, Level 5 Felony (3 counts)

Agencies assisting in this investigation include the Indiana State Police District 13 Criminal Investigations Division, Hammond Police Department, Lake County Sheriff’s Department, and the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

For more information on the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, please visit: https://internetcrimesagainstkids.com