INDIANAPOLIS – Jonathan P. Colson, 52, of Frankfort, Indiana, was sentenced to 136 months in federal jail after pleading responsible to distributing and possessing little one intercourse abuse materials depicting prepubescent kids.
In response to courtroom paperwork, from April 2018 to April 2020, Colson utilized the chat characteristic of the web gaming platform, Plato, to ship sexually express messages describing little one intercourse abuse materials to a different particular person. Throughout these on-line conversations, Colson bragged that he was molesting kids in his household. Colson additionally distributed little one intercourse abuse materials to the person. The person contacted legislation enforcement. Legislation enforcement officers recognized the person of the web gaming software as Colson and recovered the messages and pictures that Colson had despatched and distributed to the person utilizing Plato.
On August 20, 2020, legislation enforcement officers searched Colson’s residence pursuant to a federal search warrant, and recovered a number of gadgets utilized by Colson to obtain, distribute, and possess little one intercourse abuse materials. The pictures and movies that Colson distributed and possessed included depictions of kids as younger as 10 partaking in sexually express conduct.
“Criminals like this defendant exploit the perceived anonymity of on-line gaming platforms to additional their sexual curiosity in kids,” mentioned Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Legal professional for the Southern District of Indiana. “Pedophiles who consider they will proceed to commerce horrific photographs of kid sexual abuse on-line are sorely mistaken. The sentence imposed in the present day reveals that these offenders will likely be recognized and will likely be faraway from our communities.”
“Whereas no period of time in federal jail can undo the injury this predator did to his younger victims, it ought to ship a powerful message to others who would interact in prison sexual exercise that the FBI and our companions will proceed to pursue those that would victimize younger kids,” mentioned FBI Indianapolis Particular Agent in Cost Herbert J. Stapleton.
The FBI investigated this case with useful help from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Division and the Indiana State Police. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Decide Jane M. Stinson. As a part of the sentence, Decide Stinson ordered that Colson be supervised by the U.S. Probation Workplace for 10 years following his launch from federal jail and pay $5,000 pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Colson should additionally register as intercourse offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to highschool, as required by legislation.
U.S. Legal professional Myers thanked Assistant United States Legal professional Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.
In fiscal yr 2019, the latest yr for which knowledge is obtainable, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts within the nation for the variety of little one sexual exploitation circumstances prosecuted.
This case was introduced as a part of Mission Protected Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in Might 2006 by the Division of Justice to fight the rising epidemic of kid sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Workplaces and the Youngster Exploitation and Obscenity Part, Mission Protected Childhood marshals federal, state, and native sources to higher find, apprehend and prosecute people who exploit kids by way of the web, in addition to to establish and rescue victims. For extra details about Mission Protected Childhood, please go to www.justice.gov/psc
