Hammond Man Charged Following FBI and Hammond Police Child Sex Abuse Material Investigation

Region man charged after FBI links online payment to child sexual abuse material

An FBI investigation into an online payment led to 10 felony CSAM possession charges against a Hammond man, according to Lake County court records.

Hammond Man Charged Following FBI and Hammond Police Child Sex Abuse Material Investigation

Zachary Thomas Banaszak, 26, of Hammond, is accused of possessing child sexual abuse material following an investigation by the FBI and the Hammond Police Department. Court records allege the investigation began after the FBI received information involving attempted Cash App payments in October 2025 that investigators believed were connected to a website allegedly facilitating the sale of child sexual abuse material. The transactions were report…