From the Indiana State Police – Bloomington District:
On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 8, 2021, at approximately 3:45 p.m., Trooper Robert Whyte located and arrested Leslie Nikole Winkler, a 28-year-old Mitchell resident, in Bloomington after an investigation led to a warrant for her arrest.
The investigation began on August 24, 2021, when Trooper Whyte and Detective Kevin Getz of the Internet Crimes against Children (ICAC) Taskforce served search warrants at the home of Nicole Winkler and her husband Brennan D. Winkler in Mitchell. It was then that her husband, Brennan Winkler, 26 years old, was arrested for Child Exploitation, Possession of Child Pornography, Possession of Methamphetamine and, Possession of Paraphernalia.
Further evidence seized by Trooper Whyte while serving the search warrants led to an arrest warrant being issued out of the Lawrence County Superior Court II by the Honorable Bob Cline this afternoon. Nicole Winkler was transported to the Lawrence County Jail on the following charges:
- Five Counts of Possession of Child Pornography, Level 5 Felony
- One Count of False Informing, Level 6 Felony
Trooper Whyte was assisted by Senior Trooper Allen Deel and the Indiana Department of Child Services.
Anyone having any information related to crimes against children is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency or visit the NCMEC website at http://www.missingkids.com/home and find the link to make a CYBERTIPLINE report.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.