Brandon Abbott, 44, was convicted on both child molesting charges filed against him.
MORGANTOWN, Ind. — A Morganstown man was found guilty of molesting a child from when they were 7 to 9 years old, according to Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner.
Brandon Abbott, 44, was convicted on both child molesting charges filed against him.
The Franklin Police Department’s investigation into Abbott started in July 2024 after the child told an older sibling that Abbott had been “performing sexual acts” on them, the prosecutor’s office said.
The child was then interviewed at a child advocacy center where they said “multiple acts of sexual abuse” by Abbott had happened from the time the child was 7 years old until the child was 9 years old.
The abuse happened at two different homes in Franklin where Abbott was living at.
Abbott’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Monday, June 1 at 2:30 p.m.
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“Prior to the verdict being read the judge admonished the spectators in the gallery of the courtroom that no outburst after the verdict would be tolerated. After the verdict was read the judge dismissed the jury and left the courtroom. After the judge had left the courtroom one of the spectators from the gallery began to shout and curse at the 13-year-old victim. Deputy prosecutors trying to maintain order in the court asked sheriff’s deputies to separate the victim from the spectators,” the prosecutor’s office said in a news release.
The incident is being investigated by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office. Charges against the alleged agitator(s) will be presented to the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office next week.
“We will not tolerate anyone disrupting our courts either during or after proceedings. And we will certainly not tolerate anyone harassing one of our victims who was brave enough to come forward to hold a child molester accountable. Not once, not ever, ” Hamner said. “There were video cameras in that courtroom. There will be consequences for this agitator or agitators and the consequences will follow very soon.”
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Child abuse and neglect resources
If you think a child is being abused or neglected, call the DCS Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-800-5556.
If you can, provide DCS with the following information:
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Who was involved
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What occurred
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When and where it occurred
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The extent of any injuries sustained
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Any other relevant information
Even if you don’t know all that information, DCS urges you to call and report if you suspect a child is a victim of abuse or neglect. State law requires DCS to protect the identity of those reporting abuse or neglect allegations, so you can remain anonymous.
There is more information available at the Indiana Department of Child Services website.
If you would like to help victims of child abuse and neglect, Kids’ Voice of Indiana has a Court-Appointed Special Advocate program. This lets volunteers advocate for child victims who don’t have another trusted adult to stand up for them. You can learn more about the CASA program here. Kids’ Voice estimates more than 3,100 kids in Marion County need help from a CASA volunteer.
