Rebecca C. Lutzko United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio
Two men from Ohio have been sentenced to a combined total of 62 years in federal prison for sexual crimes involving children, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio. The cases, which are unrelated, were presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan.
Jordan Dodd, 24, of Jefferson, Ohio, received a sentence of 600 months (50 years) in prison and will be subject to lifetime supervised release after his incarceration. Dodd pleaded guilty in February to possession of child pornography and conspiracy to produce child pornography. Judge Brennan imposed the sentence on July 24. According to court documents, while incarcerated on an unrelated matter in April 2024, Dodd began an online relationship with an adult woman and conspired with her to obtain sexually explicit photographs of an infant under her care. In a separate investigation that started in September 2023, authorities found that Dodd possessed digital devices containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including images involving a prepubescent minor under the age of 12.
Michael Monroe James, 28, of Clinton, Ohio, was sentenced to 151 months (more than 12 years) in prison after pleading guilty in March to receipt and distribution of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography. He was also ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release following his imprisonment and pay $7,500 in restitution. Judge Brennan imposed the sentence on July 21. Court records state that in June 2024 James engaged in sexually explicit and violent communications with an undercover agent posing as a pregnant 11-year-old girl using the Whisper social media app. Investigators found more than 700 files containing CSAM on James’ electronic devices; these included images involving infants or considered sadistic in nature. Authorities also discovered that James had created artificial intelligence-generated nude photos of other minors.
The FBI Cleveland Division led investigations into both cases.
Assistant United States Attorney Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel prosecuted each case for the Northern District of Ohio.
“These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office statement. “The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.”
Reports related to child sexual abuse can be made at cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678 at any time.
