Dex Dilan Willard, Jr., 38, of Peru, Indiana, was sentenced on May 28 to 46 months in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography. The sentence was handed down by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco. Restitution in the case is deferred until a hearing scheduled for September 29.
United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred said, “The Defendant will serve nearly four years in the Bureau of Prisons and five years of supervised release thereafter for possessing video portraying child sexual abuse involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained the age of 12 years. Possession of child pornography is not a victimless crime, as a child was violated during its creation. Possessors of such deviant material continue to harm the innocent child victim into perpetuity, so long as the porn exists and they create a deplorable black market for the evil material. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Indiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew A. Krumwied and former Assistant United States Attorney Hannah T Jones. Our children are safer because of their efforts.”
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Indiana State Police. Prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew A. Krumwied and former Assistant United States Attorney Hannah T Jones.
The case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at protecting children from exploitation and abuse through coordination among federal, state, and local agencies.