Noah Hale, 21, of Norfolk, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 9 in federal court in Lincoln for production, receipt, and possession of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis ordered Hale to serve a total of 420 months’ imprisonment with no possibility of parole. Upon release, Hale will begin a lifetime term of supervised release and must pay $3,460 in restitution as well as $3,000 toward victim funds.
The case began after FBI Omaha was contacted in February 2024 regarding a trend where individuals groom minors into self-harm and producing sexually explicit images at the request of predators. Investigators identified Hale as a suspect through tips linking him to multiple social media accounts used to request and distribute child pornography.
A search warrant executed on February 29 at Hale’s residence led to the discovery of approximately 2,300 media files flagged as files of interest. Most appeared to be original content created by females whom Hale had victimized; many were apparent minors depicted engaging in self-harm or sexual acts and holding signs bearing names associated with Hale. The FBI identified thirty minor females between ages eleven and seventeen from across the United States and another country among those depicted.
Investigators determined that Hale used various tactics—including enticement, love bombing, or threats—to convince minors to produce images or videos for him. According to United States Attorney Lesley Woods, “Hale is every parent’s worst nightmare: the type of predator who can gain access to their children even when they are in their own homes with their loved ones all around them…Hale deserves every minute of his federal prison time. May he never talk to another child online so long as he lives.”
After sentencing, FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said, “Criminals like Noah Hale are a horrific and chilling example of how child predators use technology to locate and victimize the most vulnerable members of our community…We appreciate all the work of our law enforcement partners in this case to help bring some measure of justice on behalf of those victimized.”
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online—and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska serves the entire state from facilities located in Omaha and Lincoln; it prosecutes federal crimes and handles civil cases while collaborating with other agencies on public safety efforts, according to the official website.