JONESBORO, Ind. — A 28-year-old man arrested in Florida now faces 20 felony counts after four young boys described being tortured, starved, and sexually abused in a basement in Indiana, according to court documents reviewed by The World Signal.
Joshua Chasteen, currently of Fort McCoy, Florida, lived in Jonesboro at the time of the alleged crimes. He has been extradited to Indiana and is being held in Grant County Jail. His initial court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.
The children, all under 12, told police they were kept locked in a basement and subjected to brutal whippings and physical, psychological, and sexual torture. One child was crying so hysterically during a police interview that officers struggled to understand him, according to the documents.
Among the most disturbing allegations: the children said they were fed only crumbs until they passed out from hunger. They also described watching Chasteen snap a kitten’s neck in front of them after the animal got in his way. In another instance, a cat was killed after jumping onto his lap for affection. The children said Chasteen fed other cats rat poison and made at least one child watch. He also kicked a dog that tried to protect them.
The oldest child recalled being sent to buy concealer to cover bruises on a younger victim. Several children said Chasteen threatened to kill them if they spoke out, forcing them to lie about how they got their injuries.
Chasteen’s wife told police that some children reported the abuse to her, but she trusted her husband when he said they were exaggerating. She acknowledged seeing him whip the children and noticing bruises, but said she was “just too exhausted” from working 110 hours a week to investigate further.
Other adults were more alert. A mother of one of the victims told investigators she called child services “several times” to report Chasteen. By the time police spoke to her, Chasteen had already left Indiana for Florida.
When police confronted Chasteen by phone in January, he angrily denied the allegations and suggested someone was coercing the children. He then threatened the mother of at least one child, saying, “If I am charged for something I did not do, you best believe that I will be brought up on charges that I did do, and that will be for beating (the mother’s) fucking ass.” After being told the call was recorded, he doubled down: “If I am going to go to jail for no reason, I am going to make sure it is for a reason.”
The Grant County prosecutor requested a higher-than-normal bond due to the threats. The most serious charge, a Level 3 felony, carries a maximum sentence of 16 years. The case has drawn attention amid ongoing debates about child protection and judicial responses in Indiana, a state that has seen intraparty political battles over governance and accountability.
If you or someone you know needs help, contact the ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline, available 24/7.
