TERRE HAUTE, IN – Paul Hoopingarner, 62, of Terre Haute, will spend the next three decades in federal prison after being sentenced for a sickening trove of child sexual abuse material. Hoopingarner pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution, three counts of receiving, and one count of possession of the disturbing content.
Court documents reveal Hoopingarner, operating under the screenname “domeeasey69” on the Kik messaging application, actively distributed and received images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as eight years old, starting no later than January 2021. He wasn’t just a passive viewer; Hoopingarner engaged with others sharing similar depraved interests, spreading the abuse further.
The material wasn’t limited to simple depictions. Investigators found evidence of sadistic and masochistic content, as well as images depicting the abuse of toddlers and infants. This wasn’t a momentary lapse in judgment, but a calculated and sustained effort to access and disseminate horrific imagery.
This conviction isn’t Hoopingarner’s first brush with the law concerning child abuse. He was previously convicted of Child Molesting in Morgan County, Indiana, in 1996, marking him as a repeat and dangerous offender. The 30-year sentence handed down by U.S. District Court Judge James P. Hanlon, coupled with lifetime supervision after release, is a recognition of the severe nature of his crimes.
“Pedophiles use the perceived anonymity of communications apps to share horrific images of child sex abuse and communicate with like-minded criminals,” stated United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Zachary A. Myers. “This defendant engaged in a series of horrific crimes and abuses against children, online and off, and he has now been held accountable for his actions.” The Secret Service and Indiana State Police spearheaded the investigation, bringing Hoopingarner to justice.
The case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation. Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston prosecuted the case. The Department of Justice, through Project Safe Childhood, continues to marshal resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute predators like Hoopingarner and to rescue the victims of this vile crime. More information on Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
Related Federal Cases
- Phillip Steven Allen, Child Pornography Production and Distribution… · Washington
- Joshua Ray Parton, Child Pornography Production, Montgomery AL, 2012 · Indiana
- Michael N. Rodenbeek, Producing and Distributing Child Pornography,… · Indiana
- Alan E. Claridge, Jr. Convicted of Possession of Child Pornography,… · Indiana
- Joshua J. Walker, Child Pornography Possession and Distribution, IN… · Washington
Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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