INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man will serve 25 years in federal prison for child sexual coercion and enticement while he was a registered sex offender.
Isaiah Austin, 21, was sentenced Oct. 19 for multiple instances of child sexual abuse, coercion and enticement, as well as illegally possessing a firearm.
On Dec. 3, 2020, Austin was convicted in state court of the criminal confinement and sexual battery of a minor. At the time, he was sentenced to five years in prison, but was given time served of one year, with the remaining four years of his sentence to be served on probation. He was also required to register as a sex offender.
Almost three months later in February 2021, Marion County probation officers visited Austin's home for a compliance visit. During a search, probation officers located a cellphone with "multiple" images of child sex abuse, as well as photos depicting Austin holding firearms.
Also on the cellphone were sexual Snapchat messages between Austin and a 14-year-old girl that dated back to January 2021, less than a month after Austin was released from custody. In the messages, Austin wrote about sexual acts he wanted to perform with the girl and also asked for sexually explicit images of the girl.
Later that year, on Nov. 10, 2021, Austin agreed to sell a 9mm handgun in a Facebook chat. On Nov. 17, Lawrence Police Department officers visited Austin's then-current home. Upon officers' arrival, Austin ran out of the house and jumped the fence. The owner of the home in which Austin was staying turned the handgun over to officers. It was later determined the handgun was the same make and model as the one Austin agreed to sell.
Austin was arrested Jan. 14, 2022, on federal charges stemming from his exploitation of a 14-year-old girl. During Austin's detainment, he began sexually exploiting a second minor by using the jail's phone and messaging systems. This continued, according to prosecutors, between March and September of 2022.
Between those months, Austin attempted to coerce and entice the second minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts. He instructed her to look up pornographic websites so "they could start making money." Prosecutors said Austin went as far as to arrange for an adult male to meet up with the second minor and told her that he would get a tattoo of her name on his face if she recorded sexually explicit content. Austin was heard on recorded jail calls directing the minor to perform sex acts and to confirm that she was being filmed.
Austin's case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, as well as IMPD and the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The Lawrence Police Department also helped in the case.
Austin was ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to each victim and serve 15 years of probation following his release from federal prison.
“This serial sexual predator engaged in years of heinous sexual abuse and exploitation of children, undeterred even while he was on probation and in custody,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers said. “He exploited vulnerable, underage girls for his own sick gratification with utter disregard for the dignity or safety of his child victims."