James Dean Collett Jr., 31, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to federal online child exploitation charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana. He was sentenced on October 9 and ordered to pay $59,000 in restitution.
Source: WDRB / WAVE, Louisville
Prosecutors said Collett used social media applications and text messaging to contact minors in other states while presenting himself as a teenager, although he was in his late 20s. No victim is named or identified in the court reporting, and Awaaz Punjab does not identify minors.
When authorities executed a search warrant at Collett's home on February 8, 2024, they found a phone containing child sexual abuse material, prosecutors said. After that phone was seized, FBI agents said Collett obtained another phone and continued the conduct until his arrest in August 2024.
FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O'Malley said Collett 'didn't just exploit children — he manipulated them, threatened them,' and that the FBI would use every tool available to bring such predators to justice.
Prosecutors say this case began with contact through ordinary social media and messaging apps. Families can reduce risk by keeping children's accounts private, reviewing friend and follower lists, and reporting suspicious adult contact to local police or the FBI.