INDIANA — A Bloomfield man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material, federal prosecutors announced.
Christopher David Sheese, 43, was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Following his release, Sheese will be placed on a lifetime of supervised release.
The case stems from an investigation launched on June 29, 2024, when the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a cyber-tip. Operating through the Bloomington Police Department, investigators learned that Sheese had uploaded 21 images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of minors to the social media messaging application Kik.
According to court documents, Sheese used the account username “lovechicks0S6” to trade the files with another user. The materials involved the sexual exploitation of minors under the age of 12, including infants and toddlers.
Following up on the tip, authorities seized Sheese’s cell phone. A digital forensic analysis revealed the device contained thousands of additional images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Federal prosecutors noted that Sheese is a registered sex offender with a documented history of similar offenses in Indiana:
- 2014 Conviction: Sheese was convicted in Owen County, Indiana, after authorities discovered a device in his possession containing thousands of files of child sexual abuse material.
- 2019 Conviction: Five years later, he was convicted a second time for the same conduct after law enforcement discovered additional devices containing thousands more illicit files.
The case was investigated jointly by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bloomington Police Department.
In a statement following the sentencing, Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, emphasized the threat Sheese posed to the community.
“This repeat sex offender remains a serious threat to children, having consistently demonstrated a refusal to cease this conduct and continuing to support a market rooted in the exploitation of society’s most vulnerable victims,” Wheeler said. “We will use every tool available to protect children, support victims, and ensure that individuals who perpetuate this abuse are removed from our communities for as long as the law allows.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman prosecuted the case for the government.
