By Abdul-Hakim Shabazz | Indy Politics

If you’ve spent the last few years trapped in Indiana’s endless culture war, you’ve probably heard Micah Beckwith shouting about “groomers” like a revival preacher with a megaphone and a mailing list. He’s gone after LGBTQ+ Hoosiers, drag shows, public schools, Pride events, and library story hours—basically anyone outside the narrow lines of his moral panic bingo card. Beckwith has cast himself as Indiana’s moral compass, the guy who sees evil lurking around every rainbow flag and bookshelf.

But the biggest grooming and child exploitation case tied to his orbit didn’t come from a Pride parade, a school library, or a drag brunch. It came from right inside his own church network.

On October 20, 2025, Jonathan Peternel—the son of Nathan Peternel, Beckwith’s close friend, pastor, and podcast co-host—was formally charged in Madison County Circuit Court in Cause No. 48C06-2510-F4-002854 with Level 4 felony child exploitation, two Level 5 felony counts of possession of CSAM with aggravating factors, and one Level 6 felony count of possession of CSAM. The probable cause affidavit reads like a horror script: more than 200 files of child sexual abuse material, including violent rape videos of prepubescent girls and AI-generated sexual images of toddlers. Investigators say he distributed the material through Snapchat in a group called “Diddy disciples.” They also found more than 50 explicit sexual images and videos involving his parents.

When police executed the search warrant on September 10, Nathan and Jonathan answered the door. Standing right there with them, according to reporting by Tom LoBianco, was one of Beckwith’s advisers. That’s not gossip. That’s in the timeline. Jonathan later pleaded not guilty, with bond set at $25,000 (10%). He told the judge he intends to hire Devin Norrick, the same attorney tied to the Statehouse deepfake scandal, where AI-generated pornographic images were used to smear Erin Sheridan,  Beckwith’s former senior advisor.

The court has already found probable cause, issued a warrant, and entered a standing discovery order. A Status of Counsel hearing is scheduled for November 7, an informal pre-trial for November 20, and a disposition or trial setting for January 16, 2026. Prosecutors have also filed a habitual offender enhancement notice, which means if convicted, Peternel could face significantly enhanced sentencing.

Now, let’s be absolutely clear: no one is accusing Micah Beckwith of committing or participating in any crime. He has not been charged with anything. What is undeniable is that this case sits deep inside the same religious-political network Beckwith has spent years using as a platform to attack others. He built his brand on warning parents about supposed “groomers” in the LGBTQ+ community. But when a very real, very disturbing felony grooming case explodes inside his own circle, the once-booming moral megaphone suddenly goes silent.

And that brings us to the AI porn scandal. Because at the same time this CSAM case is sitting in his inner circle, the lawyer tied to defending the accused is also linked to a separate AI porn attack targeting a lawmaker’s wife. So it’s a fair question to ask: what’s going on when AI porn and CSAM cases keep landing in the Lieutenant Governor’s orbit?

This isn’t “bad optics.” This is a full-on hypocrisy bonfire. This isn’t some random guy in the back pew. It’s his pastor. His adviser. His world. And the lawyer circling the defense team is already part of another scandal involving AI pornography. Beckwith has made a career out of pointing to other people and saying, “There’s the danger.” It turns out, the danger was a lot closer to home.

Jonathan Peternel faces multiple felony charges for child exploitation and CSAM under Cause No. 48C06-2510-F4-002854. One of Beckwith’s advisers was present at the raid. Beckwith has built his brand on warning about “groomers.” And the entire scandal is tied directly to his church-political ecosystem. Everyone else whispered. Indy Politics said it out loud.

And if Micah’s reading this, there’s a good chance the first words out of his mouth will involve taking the Lord’s name in vain.

Reporting credit: Tom LoBianco.

Abdul-Hakim Shabazz is an attorney, broadcaster, and political commentator. He is the editor and publisher of IndyPolitics.Org.