INDIANAPOLIS— Melvin Anderson, 23, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to advertising child sexual abuse material and distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
According to court documents, between December 2022 and March 2023, Melvin Anderson used the social media platform Twitter, now known as X, to advertise and sell child sexual abuse material.
Anderson ran multiple, publicly accessible accounts that advertised links to cloud-based storage folders containing over 600 videos and images of minors, including individuals under 12 years of age, being sexually abused and molested. Many of his advertisements themselves contained thumbnails of sexually explicit images, and he often provided his own CashApp and Apple Pay account names so that his customers could send him money. Most links were priced between $10 to $25 per link.
Anderson advertised as if he was running a legitimate retail business. He organized the files based on various characteristics, such as the age of the minor victims, and he based the price on what he was offering. Material with younger victims garnered a higher price. He also created videos showing himself scrolling through the folders containing child sexual abuse materials in order to give his customers a preview.
“This predator not only revictimized children by exploiting the worst days of their lives over and over again to further demand, but did so just to make a quick buck,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
Defendant Information:
– Defendant/Respondent: Melvin Anderson
– Exact Criminal Charges: Advertising child sexual abuse material and distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
– City and State: Indianapolis, Indiana
– Exact Date: Between December 2022 and March 2023
– Sentence or Outcome: 17.5 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release.
– Dollar Amounts: None
It is unclear how Anderson was able to run his operation under the guise of a legitimate business without being caught. It is believed that he will be serving his time in a federal correctional facility.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Wood and 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.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood.
Anderson’s operation is a stark reminder of the dangers of child exploitation on social media and the importance of vigilance in protecting our children from predators.
The case serves as a warning to those who would seek to exploit children for their own gain.
Related Federal Cases
- Michael Fluckiger, Global Child Exploitation Enterprise, Indiana 2024 · North Carolina
- David Roberts, Child Pornography Production, Indiana 2023 · Indiana
- Johnny Clay Amos, Child Pornography Production, Indiana 2014 · Indiana
- Guarino Edwards Broccoli, Forced Labor and Aggravated Sexual Abuse, Florida 2023 · Tennessee
- Christian Sturdivant, Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISI, California 2006 · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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