Christopher David Sheese, a 43-year-old resident of Bloomfield, Indiana, was sentenced on May 20 to fifteen years and eight months in federal prison for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material. After his release, Sheese will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release.
The case underscores the continued efforts by law enforcement agencies to address crimes involving the exploitation of children online. Authorities say that combating such offenses remains a priority due to their serious impact on victims and communities.
Court documents show that on June 29, 2024, investigators from the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a cyber-tip about Sheese uploading twenty-one images and videos depicting child sexual abuse through the messaging application Kik. Using the account name “lovechicks0S6,” Sheese exchanged files with another user involving minors under twelve years old, including infants and toddlers. A search of his cell phone revealed thousands more images and videos of similar content.
Sheese is described as a repeat offender; he was previously convicted in Owen County in 2014 for possessing thousands of files containing child sexual abuse material and again five years later after authorities found additional illicit content on other devices. “This repeat sex offender remains a serious threat to children, having consistently demonstrated a refusal to cease this conduct and continuing to support a market rooted in the exploitation of society’s most vulnerable victims,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “We will use every tool available to protect children, support victims, and ensure that individuals who perpetuate this abuse are removed from our communities for as long as the law allows.”
Homeland Security Investigations and Bloomington Police Department led the investigation into this case. U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young imposed the sentence after Sheese pleaded guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman prosecuted.
The Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is led by state police and investigates those using technology or social media platforms for sexually exploiting or enticing minors; each year it evaluates thousands of tips and rescues dozens of children from ongoing abuse according to its website. The prosecution also falls under Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006—focused on combating child exploitation online.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana serves as chief federal law enforcement officer across sixty counties in southern Indiana under the Department of Justice; it maintains offices in Indianapolis and Evansville while collaborating with local agencies according to its official website.
