Indiana Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
Erick Christian, 50, of Lebanon, a city in Boone County, Indiana, has been sentenced in federal court. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced that Christian was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. He was also ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the minor victim.
According to court documents, on October 19, 2023, law enforcement received information from the Indiana Department of Child Services that a minor female had been sexually molested by a family member identified as Erick Christian. The victim stated that the abuse began when she was approximately six years old and lasted until she was approximately eleven, and that Christian took sexually explicit photos of the child during the abuse.
On March 14, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Christian's home and found a cell phone containing sexually explicit photos of the victim, as well as at least 320 images depicting minors or computer-generated minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, with ages ranging from toddlers to teenagers.
Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said predators who abuse children in a place meant to be a safe haven are especially horrific, and that the defendant will spend decades in prison. Timothy J. O'Malley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Indianapolis Division, said the 25-year sentence sends a clear message that those who prey on children will be relentlessly pursued and held accountable.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Indianapolis Division, and the Lebanon Police Department investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Haney and MaryAnn T. Mindrum prosecuted the case. The case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative.
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国司法部总部大楼（GSM联邦固定图库）。 / Photo: U.S. Department of Justice headquarters (GSM federal asset library).
