A Wyoming man already accused of sexually abusing a girl he kept in a cage has been indicted on new charges that he created sexually explicit images of the girl as well as two other children, officials said.
Barry Bedenkop, 61, now faces a total of 22 counts. He was indicted May 19 on the additional charges: using a minor in nudity-oriented material and pandering material showing child sexual abuse.
Investigators say Bedenkop began abusing the girl when she was about 5 and continued for many years.
He was initially charged in May 2025 with child abuse. He is accused of keeping the girl in a closet or dog cage as punishment.
But as the investigation continued, additional information eventually came to light, according to the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office. In July 2025, Bedenkop was charged with rape and gross sexual imposition.
Those allegations date back to at least 2020, court records show.
The new charges surround images of the girl and the two other children found on Bedenkop’s computers.
Phone calls made to two attorneys who have been representing Bedenkop were not immediately returned.
Prosecutor Connie Pillich said in a statement that victims who endure this kind of trauma are often controlled through fear, intimidation and isolation. That’s why it can sometimes take years for them to come forward.
“We intend to pursue full accountability for the horrific abuse alleged in this case and to ensure this defendant never again has the opportunity to harm another child,” Pillich said.
Bedenkop faces a potential sentence of life in prison.
He has been held at the Hamilton County Justice Center since May 2025, when he was first charged. He is expected to appear before a judge on the new charges surrounding the sexually explicit images, although a date had not been set on May 19.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Man in sex abuse case involving caged girl charged with explicit photos
Reporting by Matthew Cupelli and Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
