Buckeye Reporter

Two men from Ohio have been sentenced to a combined 62 years in federal prison for crimes involving the exploitation and abuse of children, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio. The sentences were handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan in separate cases.

Jordan Dodd, 24, of Jefferson, Ohio, received a sentence of 600 months (50 years) in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Dodd pleaded guilty earlier this year to possession of child pornography and conspiracy to produce child pornography. According to court documents, while incarcerated on an unrelated matter in April 2024, Dodd began an online relationship with an adult woman and conspired with her to obtain sexually explicit photographs of an infant under her care. He directed her to send these images while he was still imprisoned. In another investigation starting September 2023, authorities found that Dodd possessed digital devices containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including at least one image involving a prepubescent minor under the age of 12.

Michael Monroe James, 28, of Clinton, Ohio, was sentenced to more than 12 years (151 months) in prison after pleading guilty in March to receipt and distribution of visual depictions involving real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct as well as possession of child pornography. James will also serve 15 years of supervised release following his imprisonment and must pay $7,500 in restitution. In June 2024, James engaged in sexually explicit and violent communications via the Whisper social media app with someone he believed was a pregnant 11-year-old girl; it was actually an undercover agent. Investigators later discovered over 700 files containing CSAM on his electronic devices—many depicting infants or sadistic acts—and determined that James had created artificial intelligence-generated nude photos featuring other minors.

The FBI Cleveland Division conducted investigations into both cases.

Assistant United States Attorney Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel prosecuted each case for the Northern District of Ohio.

“These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.”

The public is encouraged to report suspected child sexual abuse through cybertipline.org or by calling 1-800-843-5678 at any time.