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Beyond Prison: How a Repeat Offender’s Crimes Led to a 40-Year Sentence

Indiana man sentenced to 40 years for producing child sexual abuse materials after pleading guilty.

September 16, 2025, 9:39 PM

A person wearing a bright orange jumpsuit is seen from behind, with their hands cuffed behind their back, standing against a plain light-colored background.

A person wearing an orange jumpsuit stands with hands cuffed behind their back, symbolizing incarceration or arrest. By Miami Daily Life / MiamiDaily.Life.

Executive Summary

Jerry Michael Moore was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for producing and attempting to produce child sexual abuse materials, following a guilty plea.

Moore was apprehended at the Jacksonville Port Authority Cruise Terminal, where officers discovered hidden child sexual abuse materials on his cellphone during a search prompted by a prior conviction.

This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative focused on combating child sexual exploitation and abuse by apprehending offenders and rescuing victims.

Laws and Precedent

Jerry Michael Moore was sentenced in federal court for producing and attempting to produce child sexual abuse materials, indicating prosecution under stringent federal statutes aimed at combating child exploitation. The significant 40-year federal prison sentence and lifetime of supervised release reflect the severe penalties for such crimes, especially given his prior conviction for sexual misconduct, and align with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which coordinates federal, state, and local efforts to prosecute offenders and protect victims.

Jerry Michael Moore, 42, of Indiana, was sentenced Tuesday to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for producing and attempting to produce child sexual abuse materials. U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger handed down the sentence after Moore pleaded guilty on June 12, 2025, marking a significant federal penalty for a repeat child sex offender.

Details of the Investigation

The investigation began on January 30, 2025, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) Cruise Terminal searched Moore as he returned from a cruise. This search was initiated due to Moore’s prior conviction for sexual misconduct with a minor in Indiana in 2007.

During the examination, officers discovered a cellphone in Moore’s possession. A manual review of the device revealed multiple clandestine video files stored within a “hidden” folder in the photo gallery, which appeared to depict a minor female child to whom Moore had access. A special agent with Homeland Security Investigations subsequently confirmed the presence of child sexual abuse materials on the phone at the cruise terminal.

Moore agreed to speak with law enforcement and admitted to using various hidden cameras, including his cellphone, to secretly record the child. He confessed to employing a hidden camera to film the child through a crawl space in a residence, gaining access to the inside of a shower through the wall. Further examination of his cellphone uncovered additional surreptitious recordings of the child.

Prosecution and Enforcement

The case was thoroughly investigated by officers from United States Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington successfully prosecuted the case, securing Moore’s conviction and subsequent sentence.

This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006. The program aims to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse by marshalling federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute offenders, while also identifying and rescuing victims.

Looking Ahead

Moore’s lengthy federal prison sentence underscores the severe consequences for individuals who produce child sexual abuse materials, particularly those with a history of similar offenses. The outcome highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement agencies to protect children and hold perpetrators accountable through initiatives like Project Safe Childhood.