Evansville man receives 21-year sentence after filming himself abusing a 4-year-old

Evansville, Indiana – After filming himself sexually assaulting a 4-year-old girl in 2017, an Evansville man was given a sentence of more than 20 years.

According to a news release on Tuesday, Michael Hines, 39, who pleaded guilty to producing and attempting to produce child sex abuse material, was given a sentence of 21 years in federal prison.

According to court documents, Hines recorded films of himself having intercourse with a child who was 4 years old on May 17, 2017, using his smartphone.

“The sexual abuse of a toddler is as heinous a crime as a person can commit,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “The public and the victim are safer today because this defendant will spend many years in federal prison. I commend the work of the FBI, the Evansville Police Department, and our federal prosecutor to ensure that this dangerous pedophile is held accountable for his actions.”

Hines was also mandated to register as a sex offender and serve 10 years of probation after his release.

“This sentence ensures the defendant can no longer prey on innocent children, and our community will be a much safer place without him on the streets,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton in a release.“We are committed to working alongside valued partners like the Evansville Police Department to protect our children from predators such as this.”