Former Times-Union Reporter Enters Guilty Plea
*WARNING: The following article contains information that may not be suitable for all readers*
WARSAW — A former Times-Union reporter entered a plea agreement in Kosciusko Superior 2 Court Monday, April 23.
Michael Steven Anderson, 36, 600 W. Pike St., Warsaw, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual misconduct with a minor, a level 6 felony.
On Nov. 29, Anderson’s girlfriend contacted the Warsaw Police Department in regards to inappropriate conversations she had discovered. She advised that Anderson had been using her computer because his had stopped working and forgot to log out of his Facebook account.
The girlfriend told police that she and Anderson had met on a “Domestic Discipline Lifestyle” chat forum and participated in a BDSM relationship. She provided the police department with photographs of two separate chats she had discovered.
The first conversation is between Anderson and a minor female born in 2004. The two discuss meeting up and Anderson tells her he will spank her for her sins. During the conversation, the minor identifies her age and the conversation still continues.
The second conversation photographed is between Anderson and a mother. The two talk about the mother spanking her nude children and kissing them. Anderson expresses interest in also spanking and kissing her children.
Officers with the Warsaw Police Department then went to Anderson’s residence. Once inside, they advised Anderson they had probable cause and wanted to obtain his phone. Anderson denied the request by officers and ran between them, pushing them away in an attempt to obtain his phone from his bedroom.
The officers obtained a search warrant for the phone and discovered several more inappropriate conversations involving minors.
One of the conversations involved a 14-year-old minor that began in 2016 and continued until the present. The minor identified her age, and Anderson talks about taking her to a dance. The two talk about nude spanking and Anderson sends her photographs of his residence so she can see where she would sleep if she were to come and stay at his house.
Another conversation discovered is with a minor who identified herself as 14 when they began talking. The conversation began with detailed photographs of a whipping station and continues to talk about frequent nude spankings.
Anderson admitted to officers that he was into BDSM and playing out BDSM fantasies on the internet.
Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, the maximum sentence Anderson could receive would be two and a half years, with one and a half years being served in jail and the remaining year served on probation. All remaining charges would be dismissed.
Judge Torrey Bauer scheduled the sentencing for 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 22.