Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material Via Twitter

INDIANAPOLIS- David McCutcheon, Jr., 25, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Distribution and Receipt of Child Pornography.

According to court documents, on March 23, 2021, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) began investigating McCutcheon after receiving a CyberTip from Twitter. The tip reported that McCutcheon had uploaded 17 hyperlinks containing sexually explicit videos to other Twitter users via direct message. The videos distributed by McCutcheon included depictions of the sexual abuse and rape of prepubescent and preschool-aged children. Investigators were able to tie the account to McCutcheon’s Indianapolis residence and obtained a warrant to search for evidence of the crimes.

Members of the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force executed the warrant and recovered two cellular devices containing 1,316 images and 469 videos of children being sexually abused. One of McCutcheon’s devices included screen-recorded videos of McCutcheon using OmeTV (Omegle TV), a free application which allows users to randomly engage in webcam live video chat with others, including minor girls. In one of the recorded chats, McCutcheon can be seen talking to two prepubescent girls, who appear to be between 8-10 years of age who partially disrobe, apparently at McCutcheon’s direction.

The materials McCutcheon collected also included recordings of children being subjected to sexual bondage and the sexual abuse of toddlers and infants. In his plea agreement, McCutcheon admitted that he shared child sexual abuse materials online in hopes of receiving more of the same material and because he was sexually attracted to children.

“Pedophiles like the defendant use online platforms like Twitter and OmeTV to trade horrific depictions of child rape and to hunt for children to sexually exploit,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The outstanding investigators of the Indiana ICAC Task Force work tirelessly to protect our children by identifying and arresting dangerous criminals who seek to prey on our children. Serious federal sentences like the one imposed today should put potential offenders on notice: those who sexually abuse our children or trade in images of that abuse will be held accountable and sent to prison.”

Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Jeffrey R. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the USSS Indianapolis Field Office, and IMPD Chief Randal Taylor made the announcement.

The U.S Secret Service and IMPD investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. As part of the sentence, Judge Pratt ordered that McCutcheon be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 10 years following his release from federal prison $45,000 in restitution to the child victims. McCutcheon must also register as sex offender wherever he lives, works, or goes to school, as required by law.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Kristina M. Korobov, who prosecuted this case.

This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a partnership of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies led by the Indiana State Police. The Task Force is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting crimes involving the technology-facilitated sexual exploitation of children and the trafficking of child sexual abuse material. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. In fiscal year 2019, the most recent year for which data is available, the Southern District of Indiana was second out of the 94 federal districts in the country for the number of child sexual exploitation cases prosecuted.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc