December 31, 2023 – INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Devon Shane Mitchell, 37, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually exploiting a child.

According to court documents, in February of 2023, law enforcement officers began investigating Mitchell for criminal activity unrelated to child sexual abuse. During the course of that investigation, officers discovered multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse on Mitchell’s cell phone. The videos showed Mitchell raping a child under four years old, who is crying during the attack. At times, the child was in his care, custody, or control.

In April of 2023, Mitchell was arrested at his home. During a thorough search of his electronic devices, FBI agents found over 800 images and videos of other child sexual abuse material Mitchell collected online, in addition to the videos he created using the toddler victim.

“Our hearts break for the violence and trauma the defendant inflicted on such a young and vulnerable child. We are deeply committed to finding the offenders who sexually exploit our children and ensuring that they are taken out of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “Thanks to the dedicated investigators at the FBI, IMPD, and our federal prosecutor, this victim and every other child will be protected from the defendant’s crimes for decades to come.”

FBI and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Tanya Walton Pratt. Judge Pratt also ordered that Mitchell be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 20 years following his release from federal prison and pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.

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.