Bloomfield man charged with sexual misconduct and child solicitation

A Bloomfield man arrested last Thursday is accused of inappropriate sexual contact with a juvenile. In court earlier today, he was charged with sexual crimes and possession of meth, pot and paraphernalia.  

Joshua Ray Whelchel

Joshua Ray Whelchel, 34, Bloomfield, was arrested by Deputy Marshal Wayman JR Blazier of the Bloomfield Police Department last Thursday night, May 27.

BPD’s investigation began around 7 p.m. last Thursday when BPD Deputy Marshal Brittany Ingram was dispatched to a residence in Bloomfield after the mother of a juvenile contacted dispatch and reported her daughter, who was at a friend’s house, had just texted that Joshua Whelchel was there and he had inappropriately touched her, had grabbed private areas of her body and was asking her questions of a sexual nature.

Officer Ingram responded to the juvenile’s location and knocked on the door. The juvenile answered, upset and crying, and went outside the residence to talk to Officer Ingram while Whelchel was inside the residence with his children. The juvenile said she just wanted to leave and she asked to sit in the officer’s vehicle. The juvenile was able to tell the officer what had happened. Officer Ingram then contacted BPD Officer Blazier as well as Greene County’s Department of Child Services (DCS) to assist. GCSD Deputy Camron Fry also responded to assist.

In a probable cause affidavit prepared by Officer Blazier, the lead investigator, he details a series of interviews conducted with the juvenile, her mother, other juveniles who were at the residence when the alleged incident occurred, individuals who had seen Whelchel that day, and Whelchel.

For his interview, Whelchel was transported to the Greene County Sheriff’s Department but while inside the residence in the process of taking him into custody, officers detected the odor of burnt marijuana coming from Whelchel’s person and the inside of the residence. A search warrant was requested.

During his interview, Whelchel denied touching the juvenile in any way that would be considered inappropriate but did allegedly say he had talked to the juvenile and another juvenile about sex – trying to teach them about sex. He offered to take a polygraph test.

Around 9:40 that night, officers executed a search warrant for Whelchel’s residence and reported finding a marijuana grinder with loose marijuana shake, numerous smoking devices used to ingest either marijuana or methamphetamine with residues, and green plant material. When some of these items were later field-tested, some tested positive for the presence of marijuana and others tested positive for the presence of methamphetamine. Items were sent to a lab for further analysis – results pending.

Whelchel was booked into the Greene County Jail at 9:37 p.m. He was held without bond pending court appearance.

When Whelchel appeared in Greene Circuit Court earlier today, Wednesday, June 2, for his initial hearing, he was formally charged with:

• Sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 5 felony,

• Child solicitation, a Level 5 felony,

• Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 5 felony,

• Possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor, and

• Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.

A public defender was appointed to represent him and he was served with a protective order ordering him to have no contact with the alleged victim.

Whelchel’s bond was set at $20,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. As of late this afternoon, Whelchel had not yet posted bond and was still in custody.