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PLAINFIELD, Ind.–A man from Plainfield will spend 35 years in federal prison for driving to Illinois to have sex with a 13-year-old girl. U.S. Atty. Josh Minler said Kevin C. Baker, 56, had already pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor and was already on probation.

Baker was sentenced Thursday.

On June 15, 2017, Baker, who had just one year earlier been convicted of accosting, enticing, or soliciting a child for an immoral purpose, in Battle Creek, Michigan, and was sentenced to four years probation, met a 13-year-old girl on a messaging app, and enticed her to meet him at a motel in Paxton, Illinois for sex. 

Minkler said Baker also enticed her to send him pornographic pictures of herself.

After their encounter, Baker abandoned the girl at the motel. The next day, barefoot and alone, she walked to a tire shop and called her mom, who called police. Plainfield officers picked her up at a restaurant. Police also picked up Baker, who was charged with exploiting a child and possessing child pornography, and crossing state lines.

“While no sentence can change the damage that Mr. Baker has inflicted to his young victim, it should serve as an example to others who sexually exploit children that they too should expect appropriately strong punishment for their heinous actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Grant Mendenhall, FBI Indianapolis. “It should also serve as a reminder that the FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, investigating and bringing these defendants to justice.”

“Protecting minor children from sexual predators is a top priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Minkler. “We will use all available resources to locate and prosecute those who choose to sexually exploit minor children.”

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