News Releases

Indiana man sentenced to 7 years for child pornography

INDIANAPOLIS - A local man was sentenced on Friday to more than seven years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. The sentence resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Michael D. Handley, 54, Richmond, Ind., was sentenced in federal court Feb. 19 to 88 months in prison he pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. During the court hearing, U.S. District Judge Larry J. McKinney, Southern District of Indiana, further ordered Handley to serve a lifetime term of supervised released after he completes his prison sentence.

During the period of supervised release, Handley cannot use a computer without supervision. He must also attend and comply with sex offender treatment, and is prohibited from having unsupervised contact with minors. Handley was further ordered to make restitution in the amount of $1,000 to one of the minors depicted in the images he owned.

Acting on a tip, ICE agents went to Handley's residence on Sept. 20, 2007. During a consent search of Handley's home and computer equipment, ICE agents discovered a vast, well-organized collection of child pornography. Handley admitted to collecting and viewing the images of child pornography.

Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Brant Cook, Southern District of Indiana, prosecuted the case.

"People who distribute and possess child pornography victimize the most vulnerable members of our society" said Daniel Dill, resident agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Indianapolis. "ICE relentlessly pursues predators who sexually abuse children, including physical abuse, or exploitation by possessing, viewing or sharing child pornography."

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders, and child sex traffickers. Since Operation Predator was launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 12,000 individuals.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.