MUNCIE, Ind. — A Muncie man is accused of sexual misconduct with a 15-year-old girl. 

Phil Peckinpaugh, 34, was the director of the Muncie Animal Shelter before he resigned in November 2018 following his second arrest related to a domestic dispute.

Peckinpaugh was recently arrested once again. This time he is charged in Delaware Circuit Court with two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, one county of child solicitation, one count of possession of child porn, and one count of dissemination of matter harmful to minors.

According to court documents, police were called to Peckinpaugh’s home May 29, 2020, after another adult found him naked in his guest bedroom with the victim. Peckinpaugh fled the house before officers arrived. 

Police spoke with the victim’s mother. She said her daughter began texting with Peckinpaugh back in February when the girl was just 15 years old, and she said at some point the texts became flirtatious.

Police interviewed the victim on June 1. At that time, she was 16 years old. She said she was in a relationship with Peckinpaugh. She told investigators they exchanged nude pics, and on two occasions prior to the May 29 incident, they “became physical,” which included touching and fondling.

Police spoke with Peckinpaugh’s parents, and they said he fled to Pennsylvania.

On June 3, they spoke with him over the phone. He said he knew the victim for five years, and they started a relationship in February 2020.

Peckinpaugh was arrested in Pennsylvania.