Yesterday, Darren Ringenberg, a 30-year-old registered sex offender from Louisville, Kentucky, received a 45-year sentence in federal prison after being convicted on two counts of child sexual exploitation, reported the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana. Ringenberg used the guise of 'devil_hell6969' on Snapchat to coerce a nine-year-old girl from Monroe County, Indiana, into sending him explicit images, threatening her with social media sabotage to ensure her compliance.
According to the press release from the Justice Department, this conviction follows Ringenberg's previous 2019 sentencing in Kentucky on multiple counts of possessing child sexual performance material; despite his lifetime sex offender status, he pursued his criminal activities following release, involving several minors, which included the nine-year-old girl. The same release detailed that, during the investigation, law enforcement found multiple messages and Snapchat screen recordings of minors stored on Ringenberg's phone.
Acting United States Attorney John E. Childress urged vigilance, cautioning against the manipulative tactics online predators employ and accentuating the importance of open conversations with children about their internet activity. "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," Childress stated.
"This case is a tragic reminder that with today's technology, 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," FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O'Malley told the Justice Department. Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative adopted in 2006, backed this prosecution, which focuses on combatting child sexual exploitation and abuse through a united effort from U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
Chief U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt imposed the sentence after the collaborative efforts from the FBI and Bloomington Police Department led to Ringenberg's apprehension and subsequent trial. Assistant U.S. Attorney MaryAnn T. Mindrum was recognized for her role in prosecuting the case.
