Crime Spree: Distribution of Child Pornography Rocks Valparaiso, Indiana
In a disturbing case that has left the community shaken, Vernon R. Tate II, a 39-year-old resident of Valparaiso, Indiana, has been sentenced to 87 months in prison for distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, Tate distributed multiple images containing child sex abuse material to an undercover FBI agent on an encrypted messaging platform in October 2023. The images included depictions of infants and prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The case against Tate was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary D. Heater.
U.S. Attorney Adam L. Mildred announced the sentencing, stating that Tate’s actions were a serious offense that required severe consequences. Tate was also ordered to pay monetary assessments that support services for victims of human trafficking and child sexual abuse.
As part of the sentencing, Tate will serve 87 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood, created in 2006, marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Tate’s sentencing serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting our children from the scourge of child exploitation. We must continue to work together to bring perpetrators like Tate to justice and ensure that our communities remain safe for all.
Related Federal Cases
- Michael Swiger, Child Pornography Distribution, Indiana 2022 · New Hampshire
- Lawrence Tinsman, Distribution of Child Pornography, Indiana 2013 · New York
- Marcus Horston, Production and Distribution of Child Pornography, Indiana 2025 · Maryland
- Ronald E. Wheaton, Distribution of Child Pornography, Indiana 2014 · Kansas
- Raymond Belsan, Child Pornography Distribution, Indiana 2014 · Kansas
Key Facts
- State: Indiana
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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