Two Indianapolis men are headed to prison for decades after separate Marion County cases involving very young victims ended in convictions for child sex crimes on Wednesday.
Judges ordered 31-year-old Cameron Whorton to serve 70 years in state custody and 37-year-old Isaac Cortez to serve 30 years. Prosecutors and investigators in Marion County closely tracked both prosecutions, which centered on the experiences of children who came forward.
Sentencing and case details
According to WTHR, Whorton was convicted of two counts of child molesting and received a 70-year sentence. Court documents cited in that reporting state the victim was 12 and that investigators opened the probe in December 2024.
The same report notes that Cortez was convicted at a jury trial in January and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. His case began after a 7-year-old victim disclosed the abuse to a parent in March 2024.
How Indiana law allows lengthy terms
As outlined in the Indiana Code, child molesting can be charged at different felony levels depending on the conduct and the age of the victim, with sentencing ranges that increase accordingly. Judges can also impose consecutive sentences for multiple counts, which can result in multi-decade prison terms like the ones ordered in these cases.
What comes next
Both men remain in custody while their sentences are processed and any post-conviction filings are considered. Prosecutors relied heavily on victims’ statements and related court records to secure the convictions, and local law enforcement is urging anyone with information about similar offenses to contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department or the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
