By Indy Politics — with reporting from Tom LoBianco, 24sight News
A Madison County man with close ties to Indiana’s conservative political and religious circles has been charged with multiple counts of child exploitation and possession of child sexual abuse material.
Jonathan Peternel, the son of suburban Indianapolis pastor Nathan Peternel—a longtime mentor and adviser to Micah Beckwith, the state’s lieutenant governor—was arrested this week after authorities executed a warrant on his home and social media accounts.
According to court filings and reporting by journalist Tom LoBianco of 24sight News, police allege they found more than 200 files of child sexual abuse material in Peternel’s possession. Investigators also claim that some of the files were AI-generated images depicting minors, a detail that is expected to factor into the prosecution’s case
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Peternel has been charged with one count of child exploitation, two counts of possession of child sexual abuse material with aggravating factors, and one additional possession charge. At his initial hearing Thursday, Peternel pleaded not guilty. A Madison County judge set bond at $25,000 with a 10 percent cash option.
In court, Peternel informed the judge that he intends to hire Devin Norrick as his attorney. Norrick, a Fishers-area lawyer, was previously named in connection with a separate deepfake video investigation involving the lieutenant governor’s statehouse office earlier this year. Beckwith has denied that Norrick or another staffer viewed the video, and no charges have been filed against Norrick.
Both Norrick and Beckwith are part of the Life Church network, a Pentecostal-affiliated group of congregations founded by Nathan Peternel. Beckwith has used the church as a political organizing base and co-hosts a podcast, “Jesus, Sex and Politics,” with the elder Peternel. Neither Nathan Peternel nor Norrick returned messages seeking comment Thursday evening
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The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office continues to investigate whether any laws were violated in the deepfake video incident, which involved a non-consensual image of a lawmaker’s spouse. That matter is legally separate from the charges against Jonathan Peternel.
Peternel’s next hearing, a Status of Counsel conference, is scheduled for November 7, with a pretrial conference on November 20. A dispositional or trial setting is currently slated for January 16, 2026, in Madison Circuit Court 6.
The Madison County Prosecutor’s Office, which is prosecuting the case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment after regular business hours.
Beckwith, who has long promoted Life Church as part of his political platform, has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Peternel’s case.
Peternel remains in custody pending bond.
Reporting contributed by Tom LoBianco, 24sight News. Court records: Madison County (Cause No. 48C06-2510-F4-002854).
