Docs: School officer charged after sending sexual texts to teens
Nov 26, 2024
ANDERSON, Ind. -- A school resource officer in Anderson reportedly sent sexual texts to multiple teenage boys and had similar conversations with them at the school where he worked.
According to court documents recently filed by the Indiana State Police, 50-year-old Joshua Senseney, an Anderson man, was charged with three counts of child solicitation, each a Level 5 felony, and one count of official misconduct, a Level 6 felony.
Joshua Senseney
In June, deputies with the Indiana State Police were asked by a parent to investigate after an officer with the Anderson Police Department, later identified as Senseney, reportedly sent a teen inappropriate texts.
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An investigation then uncovered that Senseney, who worked as a school resource officer at Highland Middle School, reportedly sent inappropriate texts to several teens who attended the school. Senseney also reportedly had inappropriate in-person conversations with the group.
"(Senseney) would come around their lunch table (and) he would give them a weird type of vibe, like he was a weird dude," one of the teens told investigators. "He added eventually he just thought that was just who (Senseney) was. (The teen) stated (Senseney) sometimes would say some questionable stuff."
Some of the texts included Senseney asking one of the teens if he had masturbated in a shower as well as asking them about their favorite sex positions. The documents said that the teens told investigators that Senseney made inappropriate jokes and that they "didn't know if (Senseney) was serious or joking sometimes." Senseney also texted a 14-year-old that he wanted to forcefully grab his genitals.
In an interview with Senseney, he told investigators that the texts were jokes to the teens and "nothing more," stating that it was "the kind of s----" he heard as a school resource officer.
"(Senseney) stated there were no pictures sent, and it was all joking," the documents said."(Senseney) stated he doesn't want anything to do with them, physically."
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At points, Senseney would give teens money through CashApp for food or snacks. During the interview, the investigator said that with the communication, and the monetary transactions, it looked to him "like a grooming thing" to which Senseney reportedly replied that it was just the appearance.
When police examined Senseney's phone, the documents said the texts between him and the teens were on the phone, as well as school photos and photos from social media of some of the teens. Investigators said in the documents that there were "numerous (social media) images, and other video files of male students."
According to a news release, Senseney was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation in late July. Senseney turned himself in on Tuesday morning and was processed at the Madison County Jail. Senseney posted a bond and was released.
In a news release from the Anderson Police Department, Senseney's status and discipline case will soon be presented to the department's safety board for review and official action.
"Action may include continuation with or without pay, pending outcome of the criminal case, and may include discipline, up to and including termination of employment," the release said " Under Indiana law, officers are entitled to a hearing before the safety board if requested."
The investigation into this incident remains ongoing, the release said.