KOKOMO, Ind. — A Central Indiana man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison after being found guilty of multiple child molestation charges related to his relationship with a 13-year-old.

Wayne Jewell, a 55-year-old man from Kokomo, Indiana, was sentenced last week to 55 years in prison after being found guilty in March of two felony child molestation charges in addition to a felony child exploitation charge. He is currently being held in the Howard County Jail.

The charges, court documents show, stem from an inappropriate relationship that Jewell had with a 13-year-old boy that was living nearby.

Authorities in Howard County first became aware of Jewell in November of 2021 when a 13-year-old boy went to the Kokomo police station with his mother to report the alleged abuse. KPD officers contacted a DCS case manager, who conducted an interview with the child.

During the interview, the boy told officials that he had been involved in a relationship with Wayne Allan Jewell, describing specific instances that occurred throughout 2021.

KPD then spoke with the victim, who told police he first met Jewell through an older female that lived with him. The victim said that during that time, Jewell paid him to do work around his house.

The child told investigators that soon after, his interactions with Jewell turned sexual.

“He described two instances that Wayne Jewell photographed him while naked and in the shower,” court docs filed against Jewell read. “On one of the occasions, he said Wayne got into the shower with him and attempted to penetrate him.”

Investigators said that the boy described another time when Jewell “made him cook a hamburger while naked” and took photographs of him on a cell phone.

The child also described Jewell paying him for sex acts. One time, the victim said Jewell paid him $20 to perform oral sex on him. He also said that Jewell had given him an Xbox One and an iPhone, both of which had since broken.

KPD investigators asked the child if there were any other instances of abuse with Jewell.

“He stated that he once was sitting on Wayne’s bed playing on a cell phone,” docs read. “Wayne was beside him masturbating and watching gay porn.”

When speaking with family members, KPD said the child’s mother, brother and uncle both confirmed that the child had confided in them about the abuse.

“[Jewell] was confronted by the family on November 1st, 2021 and claimed to the police the family beat him,” police said. “He refused to cooperate with any investigation.”

KPD said officers collected the victim’s cell phone, where they found messages sent between the victim and Jewell. The most recent was on Nov. 1 when Jewell asked the child to come over.

Investigators applied for and were granted a search warrant for Jewell’s residence. Inside, officers found two laptops, 14 cell phones, an external hard drive and two computer towers.

Additionally, investigators and parole agents found pornographic materials and alcohol in Jewell’s bathroom. The parole agents told officers that both porn and alcohol were violations of Jewell’s parole.

Before leaving Jewell’s home, an agent with KPD received a phone call from Jewell himself saying that he was walking up to the residence. KPD said that Jewell was then arrested for parole violations and that his cell phone was taken for evidence.

While he was being arrested, police said Jewell admitted that he did take pictures of the naked 13-year-old on his phone but said that he had since deleted them.

Further investigation into Jewell’s electronics did yield non-nude photos of the 13-year-old. Matching Jewell’s statement while being arrested, the naked photos had been deleted.

During an interview with a CPS case manager, police said Jewell again admitted to taking and deleting the nude photos of the child.

Additionally, authorities said Jewell admitted to performing oral sex on the child during the interview but claimed he never tried to have intercourse because he had erectile dysfunction.

Jewell was then arrested for child molestation and booked into the Howard County Jail. On March 3, he was found guilty of three child molestation felonies.

Most recently, Jewell was sentenced to 55 years on April 14. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.