Elkhart Man Sentenced to 160 Months in Prison

SOUTH BEND – Sean Posey, 40 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty, after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

Posey was sentenced to 160 months in prison, 15 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay $22,500 in restitution to victims of the offense.

According to documents in the case, between August and September 2021, Posey possessed over 900 photos and 7 videos on his cell phone consisting of child sexual abuse material, including images of minors under the age of 12. Posey had previously been convicted of sexual misconduct with a minor which required him to register as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police Crimes Against Children Task Force.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John M. Maciejczyk and Hannah T Jones.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.