INDIANAPOLIS, IN – A Randolph County man with a history of sexual offenses has been handed a 20-year federal prison sentence for his depraved obsession with child pornography. Lance Parsons, 47, pleaded guilty to distributing and receiving child sexual abuse material, a crime that landed him back in the federal system and will keep him locked up for two decades.
The case originated in March 2020, when the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office investigated Parsons for alleged sexual assault of a child. During that investigation, officers discovered an outstanding warrant for Parsons’ arrest related to a child support case. When Parsons was apprehended on March 16, 2020, his smartphone was seized, triggering a forensic examination that revealed a dark and disturbing digital world.
That examination uncovered a trove of horrific content. Parsons wasn’t just passively viewing illegal material; he was actively engaged in sharing it with others. His phone contained hundreds of images and videos depicting prepubescent children in sexually explicit situations with both adults and other children. Authorities found Parsons used the Kik Messenger and Mega applications to spread this vile material, including depictions of sadistic violence and the sexualization of infants and toddlers.
This wasn’t a first offense. At sentencing, the judge explicitly noted Parsons’ established pattern of predatory behavior. In 2017, he was already convicted of attempted sexual misconduct with a minor in Randolph County. The judge ordered Parsons to be supervised by the U.S. Probation Office for life after his release, a small measure of accountability for the damage he’s inflicted. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to his minor victim and is required to register as a sex offender for life.
The investigation was a joint effort between the U.S. Secret Service Indianapolis Field Office and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Randolph County Prosecutor’s Office and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers for the Southern District of Indiana, USSS Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Adams, and Sheriff Art L. Moystner announced the sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina M. Korobov prosecuted the case. The Southern District of Indiana is a national hotspot for child exploitation cases, ranking second in the nation for prosecutions in 2019.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating the escalating epidemic of child sexual exploitation. The project leverages federal, state, and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute predators and to rescue victims. The grim reality is that while Parsons is behind bars, countless others continue to operate in the shadows, and law enforcement remains locked in a relentless battle to protect the most vulnerable among us.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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