Hoosier State Today

Joshua Sims, a 38-year-old resident of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to fifty-four and a half years in federal prison. This sentence follows his guilty plea to charges of sexual exploitation of a child, possession of child sexual abuse material, and committing a sex offense while being required to register as a sex offender. In addition to the prison term, Sims will face supervised release for the rest of his life and has been ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim.

Sims' criminal history dates back to May 1, 2006, when he was convicted of child molesting in Dekalb County, Indiana. He received a seven-year prison sentence and was mandated to register as a sex offender for life. Despite this requirement, Sims repeatedly failed to register over twelve years after his initial release from prison. His non-compliance led to three separate convictions and additional time behind bars. Other felony convictions during this period included strangulation, battery, and criminal confinement.

Court documents reveal that between February 23 and March 7, 2023, Sims exploited a toddler under his care by forcing the child into sexually explicit conduct while recording himself abusing the child. A relative under his control was also made to witness these acts. Sims distributed videos and images of these abuses over the internet.

Upon arresting Sims, investigators accessed data on his smartphone uncovering over 5,000 images and 300 videos depicting children subjected to sexual abuse and other disturbing acts.

"Undeterred by multiple prison sentences," stated Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. "This pedophile subjected a toddler to horrific sexual abuse." He emphasized the need for aggressive prosecution against such predators: "Children are safer today... because this dangerous criminal will almost certainly spend the rest of his days behind federal prison walls."

The investigation involved efforts from agencies including the U.S. Secret Service, IMPD (Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department), and the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). The sentence was delivered by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II.

U.S. Attorney Myers acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston's role in prosecuting this case.

The ICAC Task Force is an initiative led by Indiana State Police focused on investigating internet-based exploitation or enticement cases involving children—evaluating thousands of tips annually while rescuing numerous victims from ongoing abuse.

This case aligns with Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through collaboration among various levels of law enforcement agencies across America.