Sonny Dale Applegate, 27, of Indianapolis, received a 44-year federal prison sentence for sexually exploiting a minor online. Applegate, already on probation for a prior child pornography conviction, used Snapchat to engage in explicit conversations and solicit sexually explicit images and videos from an 11-year-old child in Missouri.
Despite stringent probation restrictions, Applegate continued his predatory behavior. His probation officer discovered a hidden cell phone containing child sexual abuse material, including content created by the victim and over 600 other images and videos.
Read: Plant City Teenager Indicted For Online Threat In Front Of Hillsborough County High School: FBI
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers emphasized the dangers of social media platforms for young children and the unwavering commitment of law enforcement to protect them from online predators. FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton echoed this sentiment, stating that the sentence reflects the severity of Applegate’s crimes.
The FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office, along with the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Marion County Probation, and the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office, collaborated on the investigation. Applegate will also pay $10,000 in restitution and be required to register as a sex offender.
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