The Knox County Prosecutorâs Office has secured a state grant that carries the potential to completely change the way local crimes are prosecuted.
County prosecutor Dirk Carnahan announced this week that his office, under the leadership of paralegal and program coordinator Jocelyn Gadberry, received a more than $107,000 grant from the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute aimed at developing a local cyber crimes unit.
The grant, one from the 2021 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Program, will go toward the purchase of equipment, specifically computers, and software licenses, all meant to give local law enforcement officers and investigators the ability to extract information from digital devices like smartphones and even fitness trackers.
Christopher Sinnett
The Lawrence County CASA program was started under former Lawrence County Circuit Judge Linda Chezem with Volunteer Marge Lee. Darlene McSoley was the first attorney for the CASA program and former school teacher Icel Naugle was one of the first CASA Volunteers according to Juvenile Referee Anah Hewetson Gouty.
Anah Hewetson Gouty swears in Lawrence County CASA Volunteers Thursday
“CASA is so important to my position in my role. Without a CASA on the case the child is not adequately heard. It is extremely important that we hear the case from the child’s perspective in order to find what is in the best interest of the child,” said Juvenile Referee Anah Hewetson Gouty.