A Spencer County jury has found 73-year-old Roger Ford of Newburgh guilty of Child Seduction, a Level 3 Felony, and Child Molestation, a Level 4 Felony.
The verdict was delivered February 25, 2026, following a three-day trial in Spencer County. Jurors deliberated for less than two hours before returning guilty findings on both counts.
Ford previously served as a youth softball coach and private lesson instructor affiliated with a local traveling softball organization. Evidence presented during trial showed that on July 11, 2024, Ford engaged in sexual touching involving a child under the age of 13 during a private lesson at a rural location outside the Santa Claus area.
The investigation began after authorities received information that Ford instructed the child to remove her footwear, placed edible chocolate on her feet, and consumed it. When questioned by law enforcement, Ford claimed the actions were intended as comic relief.
Investigators with the Indiana State Police seized Ford’s cellphone pursuant to a search warrant. A forensic review of the device uncovered content related to podophilia and imagery involving preteens, along with search histories involving sexually explicit material connected to his role as an instructor working with teenage girls.
Under Indiana law, a Level 3 Felony carries a sentencing range of three to 16 years, while a Level 4 Felony carries a sentencing range of two to 12 years.
Sentencing is scheduled to begin April 24, 2026.
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