Greenfield Man Sentenced for Exploiting Children as Young as 12
INDIANAPOLIS — A Greenfield man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for exploiting children as young as 12 years old.
On Thursday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana said 24-year-old Bobby Cyprus Linhart was sentenced after pleading guilty to one count each of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, distribution of child sexual abuse material to a minor, and possession of child sexual abuse material. There were also three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Linhart’s 40-year sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He has also been ordered to pay $68,000 in restitution to the victims.
According to court documents, between April 2023 and March 2024, Linhart repeatedly targeted kids between the ages of 12 and 15 online. He used the username “maps.syb,” on social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram, and X.
Investigators said Linhart coerced multiple children into sending sexually explicit images and videos of themselves to him. He also distributed images and videos of children obtained from various victims to attempt to entice other young victims.
Furthermore, Linhart traveled to at least two cities, including one outside of Indiana, to abuse his victims in person.
“What makes this case especially disturbing is that Linhart not only targeted children online, but also attempted to, and in at least one instance succeeded in, meeting his young victims in person for sexual activities,” said Tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Protecting children from predators, particularly those who hide behind screens and operate outside the watchful eyes of parents, remains one of our highest priorities.”
On March 19, 2024, a search warrant was executed at Linhart’s home in Greenfield, with police seizing an external hard drive containing thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
“The facts and evidence of this case are deeply troubling, and our priority remains the protection of children and the pursuit of justice for victims,” said Doug Baker, Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force Lieutenant. “This investigation demonstrates what can be accomplished when local agencies and federal law enforcement like Homeland Security Investigations and specialized investigative resources work in close partnership.”
The Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force is an affiliate of the Indiana Crimes Against Children Task Force.
