Southern District of Indiana | Second child predator sentenced to 35 years in federal prison for sexually abusing a child and drugging the child with methamphetamine

INDIANAPOLIS—Dustin Scott Cox, 54, of Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by life parole, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child.

According to court documents, between at least February and September 2020, Dustin Cox conspired with Zachary Nichols to sexually abuse a 15-year-old child and produce sexual images of him. Cox is a repeat offender of child molestation, having been convicted in 2004 of forcing a 14-year-old to perform sex acts in exchange for a new bicycle.

In 2020, Cox was Zachary Nichols’ methamphetamine dealer. Nichols sexually abused the child for years. Nichols began allowing Cox to sexually abuse the child as well, in exchange for supplying Nichols with methamphetamine. Cox and Nichols recorded their sexual abuse of the victim on multiple occasions. The child was nearly incapacitated due to drug use in some of the child abuse material Nichols and Cox created.

In June 2024, Zachary Nichols was sentenced to 42 years in federal prison for his role in the sexual exploitation and abuse of the child.

“These horrific predators repeatedly sexually abused a child, paralyzed them with meth, and traded the victim’s body for drugs,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our hearts go out to the survivors of this horrific abuse and we hope this prosecution brings them some measure of peace. The lifelong trauma these sick criminals have caused deserves federal prison sentences that ensure neither will ever harm a child again. Together with our partners at the FBI and IMPD, our office is committed to aggressively prosecuting sex offenders who exploit our children and removing them from our communities.”

“Every child deserves to live and thrive in a safe environment free from fear of harm and abuse. This sentence reflects the gravity of this horrific violation and should serve as a warning to others that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those who exploit our children accountable,” said Herbert J. Stapleton, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Indianapolis.

The FBI and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. Cox was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim and to maintain his sex offender status wherever he lives, works, or attends school after his release from federal prison.

District Attorney Myers thanked Assistant District Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children online, and to identify and rescue victims.

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