An Indiana man has been sentenced to fifteen years in prison for his attempt to exploit a minor sexually. Elliott Gruss, 34, of Ossian, Indiana, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, receiving a sentence of 180 months behind bars followed by five years of supervised release, according to U.S. Attorney's Office Northern District of Indiana.
Details of a the case, revealed in court documents, show that between September and October of 2019, Gruss attempted to "employ, use, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct" with the intention of creating visual depictions of the conduct. The sentencing was handed down by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady, as highlighted in a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
This investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Allen County Police Department. The enforcement of the law in cases such as Gruss's falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to protect children from exploitation and abuse, Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery led the prosecution.
Project Safe Childhood plays a critical role in such outcomes by combining federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute individuals who prey on children, while also working to identify and assist the victims. More information on this initiative can be found by visiting their website.
