Full Notification

On February 9th 2013 at approximately 4:14 P.M. Deputies from the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office were called to the Potawatomi Inn Pokagon State Park on Lake James for a call of a child allegedly molested in a hotel bathroom. Deputies arrived to discover that adults within the hotel had held the alleged suspect until they could arrive. Deputies learned through the initial investigation that Elleneberger allegedly approached the 4 year old victim while inside a restroom near the indoor swimming pool area where the alleged molestation occurred. Deputies then transported Elleneberger to the Sheriff’s office where formal interviews were conducted by Sheriff’s Detectives. During the interviews, Elleneberger confessed to the molestation. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division Investigators assisted SCSO Detectives with the interviews and investigation.
The 4 year old victim was from another state, vacationing with family and did not know the suspect at all. The investigation was turned over to the IDNR Law Enforcement Division Investigators and the Steuben County Prosecutor.

Elleneberger was arraigned in Magistrate court today at 1:00 P.M. He was charged with a class A felony charge of Child Molestation and a $100,000.00 bond was set. Ellenberger was released from custody at approximately 2:15 P.M. upon the bond being posted.