A man accused of creating a fake social media account publicized by Indiana authorities this week as potentially linked to the 2017 unsolved homicides of two teens, was arrested and charged last year in a separate case with alleged exploitation of children and soliciting minors for sex, according to court records.
Kegan Anthony Kline, 27, told investigators on Feb. 25, 2017, he created the “anthony_shots" social media account and used it to speak to underage girls while also soliciting nude images from them, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by NBC News filed in Miami County on Aug. 19, 2020.
Kline was interviewed by the FBI and Indiana State Police 11 days after the bodies of the two girls from Delphi, Indiana, were discovered more than four years ago.
Police have not publicly named Kline as the man behind the “anthony_shots” account. But in the newly obtained probable cause affidavit in connection with 2020 charges against him, Kline allegedly admitted multiple times to investigators he created it, the affidavit said.
Indiana court records stemming from the 2020 affidavit show Kline was charged with 30 alleged crimes including child exploitation with intent to arouse or satisfy sexual desires, possession of child pornography, child solicitation for sexual intercourse and obstruction of justice.
Indiana State Police on Monday connected the “anthony_shots” profile to the investigation into the February 2017 homicides of Liberty German, 14, and Abigail Williams, 13, who vanished while hiking in their hometown of Delphi, about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. The teens went missing on Feb. 13, 2017. Their bodies were found in the woods the following day.
The “anthony_shots” profile was in use from 2016 to 2017, including on the platforms Snapchat and Instagram, according to a statement from Indiana State Police.
Sgt. Jeremy Piers, a spokesman with Indiana State Police, said Wednesday the department does not comment on potential suspects or persons of interest during ongoing investigations. He deferred additional questions about a possible link between Kline and the probe into the homicides to the FBI.
A spokesperson for the FBI in Indianapolis declined comment. A representative with the Miami County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday afternoon Kline was jailed at the county facility.
The “anthony_shots” account used “images of a known male model” who portrayed himself as wealthy and owning sports cars. The creator of the profile, police said, communicated with “juvenile females to solicit nude images, obtain their addresses, and attempt to meet them.”
Investigators in the double-homicide case stressed, however, the male depicted in photos as “anthony_shots” is “not a person of interest in the investigation. Detectives are seeking information about the person who created” the account, police said this week.
Police urged anyone who communicated or attempted to meet the creator of the social media profile to contact investigators through an email account and tip line.
Police also asked potential witnesses who communicated with the account, or the person who created it, to provide detailed information such as which social media applications were used, and if the creator of the profile attempted to meet them or obtained their address.
Andrew Achey, Kline's court-appointed public defender, said in a statement Thursday: "My client had nothing to do with the unexpected, untimely and unfortunate passing of the girls in Delphi."
He added, "Please keep in mind that Mr. Kline is innocent unless he is proven guilty. And after reviewing the social media posts about Mr. Kline, I would also like to remind people to refrain from jumping to conclusions about Mr. Kline, as Mr. Kline has not been charged with a crime relating to the recent reports."
Achey expressed condolences to the families of Abigail Williams and Liberty German.
Kline's case is expected to go to trial, Achey said. He declined additional comment.
No one believed to be Kline’s relatives responded to requests for comment.
A preliminary plea of not guilty was entered for Kline on Aug. 21, 2020, the case docket showed. Three days later, the court set Kline’s bond at $265,000 or 10 percent cash, per the docket. A pre-trial conference was scheduled for next week, the docket said.
The 2020 probable cause affidavit said Indiana State Police and the FBI executed a search warrant at a residence in Peru, Indiana, linked to Kline on Feb. 25, 2017.
Kline spoke to an FBI agent during an interrogation that day, per the affidavit. At first, he declined creating the "anthony_shots" profile, the affidavit said. Kline later, however, acknowledged he created it.
Kline also told investigators he communicated with about 15 girls who were underage and received pictures and videos from them, the affidavit said.
During a polygraph Kline took later on Feb. 25, “Kegan again admitted to creating the fake anthony_shots profiles and speaking to underage girls,” the affidavit said. Kline told investigators he received about 100 sexual pictures of minor girls, the affidavit said.
He also told investigators the girls he spoke to ranged in ages from 15 to 17, the affidavit said.
Files discovered on an iPhone seized by authorities depicted pornographic images of children as young as 3-years-old, the affidavit said.
During their investigation, according to the affidavit, authorities also seized additional smart phones, a tablet and an iPod.
Anyone who has information is urged to contact law enforcement at abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com or 765-822-3535, police said.