North Vernon Man Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of Toddler

INDIANAPOLIS – A North Vernon man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor child. He will also serve 20 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the minor victim.

According to court documents, Gage Campos, 26, was arrested September 2, 2020 after evidence of sexual exploitation of a minor child was recovered from his Google account and one of his cell phones. The image creation dates ranged from July to October 2019. The offenses occurred when the minor victim was a toddler, and law enforcement learned that Campos was in a position of trust with respect to the child.

 In addition to sexually explicit images of the minor victim, forensic examiners also found evidence that Campos had been collecting child sexual abuse material for at least 4 years.  Campos used Google to search for material and images related to the sexual abuse of children.  In 2020, Google reported the suspected child abuse images that were contained in one of its user accounts, later identified as belonging to Campos, to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The NCMEC turned this evidence over to the Indiana State Police and the FBI. Working together with partners from the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, officers identified Campos, recovered evidence from his residence, obtained a confession, and ensured the safety of the minor victim.

“The citizens of the Southern District of Indiana rightfully expect swift and coordinated action by law enforcement and their partners to investigate and prosecute persons such as Mr. Campos, said Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress. “His significant sentence of imprisonment sends a strong message to others who might consider imitating his reprehensible conduct.”

“Those who prey on the most vulnerable of our citizens and victimize them through such despicable criminal acts can expect to be held accountable,” said FBI Indianapolis Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Middleton. “This sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to investigating cases of child pornography with a sense of urgency, as well as the collaboration with our law enforcement partners to ensure there is one less predator victimizing our children.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Indiana State Police – Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Martinsville Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Kristina Korobov prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.