Jason E. Jolley, Child Sex Offenses, Indiana 2022

EVANSVILLE, IN – In a disturbing case of child exploitation, Jason E. Jolley, 43, of Evansville, Indiana, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and receive sexually explicit materials involving children and distribution of sexually explicit materials involving children.

According to court documents, between January 15, 2016, and February 1, 2016, Jolley and co-defendant Scott J. Spear, 50, of Newburgh, Indiana, communicated with each other using email. During their communications, both Jolley and Spear discussed their mutual interest in finding and viewing sexually explicit material involving children. Jolley and Spear also sent images to each other depicting the sexual abuse of children.

On November 15, 2016, Jolley used the Kik Messenger application to distribute an image depicting a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct to an undercover law enforcement officer in Washington D.C. The images distributed and received by Jolley and Spear included depictions of the sexual abuse of pre-pubescent children.

U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers and Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, made the announcement.

The FBI investigated the case, with valuable assistance from the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office. U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young imposed the sentence, which includes 10 years of supervised release for Jolley following his release from federal prison. Spear was ordered to be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for 7 years following his release from prison.

As part of their sentence, both Jolley and Spear must register as sex offenders wherever they live, work, or go to school, as required by law. U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Shellenbarger for prosecuting the case.

In fiscal year 2019, 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 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.