Illegal Immigrant in Indiana Sentenced for Child Sexual Exploitation

INDIANAPOLIS — An illegal immigrant living in Indianapolis has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for sexually abusing a young girl.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana said in a release Tuesday that Carlos Fredy Granados, 35, was sentenced after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a minor, and possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Granados’ sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He acknowledged that after he serves his sentence, he will be subject to removal from the United States.

According to court documents, Granados sexually exploited and abused a 15-year-old girl who was in his care between at least May and August of 2023. He had engaged in sexual intercourse with the girl and sexually exploited her in order to produce images and videos of the abuse.

“Carlos Granados’ crimes are among the most heinous we encounter and his conviction underscores our commitment to removing the most violent and predatory illegal immigrants from our communities,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Consistent with Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Operation Restore Justice Initiative, we will continue to prioritize prosecutions that protect our children and uphold the rule of law.”

On October 28, 2023, officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a report of child sexual abuse after a witness said they found nude images and videos of the girl on one of Granados’ cell phone. Investigators then searched all of Granados’ cell phones and discovered sexually explicit messages, 12 sexually explicit videos and 16 images of the child that were taken inside a shared home and a hotel room.

The U.S. Secret Service and IMPD investigated this case which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual abuse and exploitation.

“This sentence shows that child sexual predators will be held accountable and punished for their heinous crimes preying on innocent victims,” said Ike Barnes, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Indianapolis Field Office. “The U.S. Secret Service is committed to protecting innocent victims from criminals who seek to sexually exploit them.”

Victims of child sexual exploitation should contact their local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found at http://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood.