Merrillville Woman Sentenced To 84 Months

HAMMOND-Stephanie Fazekas, 50, of Merrillville, Indiana was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.   

Fazekas was sentenced to 84 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release. 

According to documents filed in the case, on or about April 3, 2021, Fazekas distributed visual depictions of minors being utilized in sexually explicit conduct using a telecommunications application. 

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Indiana State Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath.

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.