Boonville man found guilty at trial of producing and possessing child pornography

Pornography of female teen found on his cell phone

PRESS RELEASE

Evansville-United States Attorney Josh Minkler announced today that a Boonville man was found guilty of production and possession of sexually explicit material involving a minor   after a trial before U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young. Jimmy R. Mitchell, age 53, remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal and has a sentencing date of November 13, 2018.  

“Protecting minors from sexual predators will remain a top priority in my office,” said Minkler. “Those who don’t have the capacity to protect themselves deserve our attention and can rely on federal law enforcement to advocate for them.”

In May 2016, the victim reported the abuse to the Warrick County Sheriff’s Department. Court testimony showed that Mitchell was a truck driver who took photographs of the victim while on a work trip to Illinois. Further evidence showed Mitchell also produced pornography of the victim while in Boonville.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Warrick County Sheriff’s Department.

“Today’s conviction demonstrates the danger of an individual who lured and took advantage of a child,” said Grant Mendenhall, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “Along with our partners, the FBI is committed to apprehending individuals who sexually exploit minors and we will continue to diligently work together to identify these predators and their victims.” 

According to Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Sawa, Mitchell faces at sentencing up to 30 years imprisonment on each count of production and up to 10 years imprisonment on the possession count. 

In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the Office’s firm commitment to prioritizing cases where individuals produce and possess child pornography. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan 4.1

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