Roanoke Man Sentenced to 720 Months in Prison For Sexual Exploitation of Children

FORT WAYNE - Cecil Spangler, 37 years old, formerly of Roanoke, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to Sexual Exploitation of Children, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.

Spangler was sentenced to 720 months in prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Restitution will be imposed at a later date.

"A predator who used a minor to engage in sexual conduct and produced a visual depiction of that sexual conduct will spend the next 60 years in prison for his sick and depraved decisions. He did this over the period between June 2021 and August 2023. Thanks to the combined efforts of the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Indiana State Police, the Huntington County Sheriff's Office, the Roanoke Police Department, and Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery, along with support and coordination of the Huntington County Prosecutor's Office led by Prosecutor Jeremy Nix and Chief Deputy Theresa Searles, the Defendant was arrested, prosecuted, convicted, sentenced, and locked up in a place where he can no longer harm children," U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred said.

"Cecil Spangler's horrific conduct has caused unimaginable physical and emotional trauma to children," said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. "I'm proud of our agents' diligence and tenacity in facilitating this 60-year sentence, ensuring he can never hurt another child."

This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Indiana State Police, the Huntington County Sheriff's Office, the Roanoke Police Department, and the Huntington County Prosecutor's Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.

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.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..