Tristan Mullins, Child Sex Abuse, Indiana 2022

INDIANAPOLIS – Two parents, Tristan Mullins, 27, and Desley McLemore, 27, of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to a combined 90 years in federal prison for their roles in sexually exploiting and assaulting their 18-month-old baby.

According to court documents, McLemore and Mullins were the parents of an infant. From at least 2019 through January 2022, Mullins and McLemore were in an on-again, off-again dating relationship. In June of 2020, McLemore gave birth to a child. The baby primarily lived with McLemore; however, Mullins had periodic visits with the baby, both at his residence and at McLemore’s.

Beginning in December 2021, during times when each defendant had physical custody of the baby, McLemore and Mullins sexually abused the baby and produced more than 98 videos and images depicting sexually explicit conduct.

On January 18, 2022, IMPD officers received a tip from Google alerting them to McLemore and Mullins’ uploads of files depicting their sexual abuse and exploitation of their child. Both parents were immediately located and arrested by law enforcement officers.

Tristan Mullins was sentenced to 60 years’ imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release. Desley McLemore was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment followed by supervised release for life.

“Babies are precious and vulnerable, and most parents have an instinctual desire to protect them from harm. Tristan Mullins and Desley McLemore’s instead chose to exploit their baby in the most cruel and unimaginable ways before she was even old enough to walk or speak,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.

The investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to commit crimes against children.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany J. Preston and former Assistant United States Attorney Kristina M. Korobov who prosecuted this case.

Judge Stinson also ordered Mullins to pay $30,500 to the victim and others, and McLemore to pay $20,000 in restitution to the child.

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