A 31-year-old Bloomfield man has been arrested and is facing four felony charges of child molestation stemming from events that allegedly occurred in 2020. 

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Jonathan Nathanial Terneus on April 18, and he was arrested on June 13 on two charges of child molesting-fondling or touching a child under 14 and two charges of child molesting where the defendant is at least 21 years of age. 

Greene County Sheriff’s Department Det. David Elmore began assisting the Indiana State Police at the request of the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office on the case on Feb. 23, 2023. Information was obtained from Indiana State Police Trooper Samuel Wagener as well as interviews conducted by Elmore. 

The case stemmed back to 2020. On Dec. 30. 2020, the Greene County Sheriff’s Department was notified by an individual regarding a Snapchat video of Terneus having sexual relations with a 13-year-old female. 

At a later date, according to the probable cause affidavit, Elmore observed multiple pictures and videos of the victim and Terneus, including those sexual in nature, from Nov. 16, 2020, that had been extracted from the victim’s phone. A video dated Oct. 27, 2020, showed the victim wearing only underwear on top of Terneus as he touched the victim in a sexual manner, according to the probable cause. 

On March 23, 2023, according to the probable cause affidavit, Elmore met with the victim who confirmed she and Terneus had been in a consensual sexual relationship and understood the relationship was illegal. The victim requested Elmore show the videos, then stated she remembered and there was no need to show anymore. 

On March 31, 2023, Elmore went to Terneus's residence to speak to him about the two-year investigation regarding the allegations of his relationship with the minor. Terenus alleged the two were just friends. He said he hadn’t seen the victim in a few years. Elmore informed Terneus that pictures and videos of him and the victim being sexual with one another had been extracted from her phone by the Indiana State Police. According to the probable cause, he denied videos of that nature existing; however, he did not deny allegations of he and the victim had a sexual relationship. 

According to the probable cause affidavit, Elmore advised Terneus he had already talked with the victim and confirmed the videos and pictures. In addition, he advised Terneus of text messages and Facetime messages between the two about their sexual relationship including him showing her pictures of his private areas. Terneus was offered but turned down the opportunity to view the pictures and video extracted from the victim’s phone, telling Elmore he would rather not see them.  

He was initially held without bond; however, after his initial hearing in Greene Circuit Court on June 14, bond was set at $80,000 surety with 10% cash allowed.

He’s been charged with: 

• Child molesting-fondling or touching a child under 14, a Level 4 Felony

• Child molesting-fondling or touching a child under 14, a Level 4 Felony

• Child molesting where the defendant is at least 21 years of age, a Level 1 Felony

• Child molesting where the defendant is at least 21 years of age, a Level 1 Felony