Man Used Username "Devil_Hell6969" To Sexually Exploit Child
Man Used Username “Devil_Hell6969” To Sexually Exploit Child in Monroe County
INDIANAPOLIS–A man from Kentucky was sentenced this week to 45 years in federal prison for the sexual exploitation of a child in Indiana.
Court documents in 2019 show that 30-year-old Darren Ringenberg of Louisville, Kentucky was previously convicted in Kentucky on 20 counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor and was required to register as a sex offender for life.
He was released for the Kentucky offense. Police say in June 2023, Ringenberg began using the Snapchat username “devil_hell6969” to communicate with a nine-year-old girl in Monroe County and forced her to send sexually explicit images and videos. He also threatened to hack into her social media accounts and remove all of her friends if she didn’t comply.
Ringenberg would go on to direct the girl as to what images to send, how to take the photos, and told her that they could meet in person in the future. He also falsely claimed to be 16 years old and would screen-record and save many of the images and conversations with the girl knowing about it.
A tip about his online behavior was sent to law enforcement which searched both his Snapchat account and his home in Louisville. Investigators would go on to find the sexual text messages between Ringenberg and other minors, including the nine-year-old girl. They also found other Snapchat screen recordings of minor victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“Sex offenders often use manipulation and threats to sexually exploit children with utter disregard for the lasting trauma they inflict. I urge parents and guardians to talk to the children in their lives about what they’re doing online and make sure they have trusted adults they can turn to for help,” said John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “I commend the FBI and the Bloomington Police Department for their work to seek justice for this victim and protect other children from this online predator.”
FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley said this case is another tragic reminder that predators can reach across state lines with a few clicks.
“While the distance didn’t help protect this child from harm, it did not stop the offender from being brought to justice. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting children and holding offenders accountable – no matter where they are,” said O’Malley.
After his 45-year prison sentence is done, he gets ten years of supervised release.
