Former Indiana youth minister sentenced to 9 years for child abuse material

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — A former Indiana youth minister from Corydon was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for possessing sexually explicit material involving juveniles.

Aaron Paul Lockman, 24, pleaded guilty to nine counts of possession and was ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution.

The investigation into Lockman began in March 2024 after federal agents discovered communications between him and an imprisoned Kentucky school superintendent regarding the exploitation of children. At the time, Lockman worked as a youth minister at a church in Jasper, Indiana, where he had been entrusted to supervise young boys.

Federal agents initially targeted Matthew D. Constant, who was the superintendent of Owensboro Public Schools in Kentucky, for attempting to solicit sexual acts from children. During that investigation, agents discovered WhatsApp conversations between Constant and Lockman where the two exchanged illegal images of child sexual abuse and discussed their shared sexual interests.

While employed at the church in Jasper, Lockman was responsible for supervising young boys and frequently took them on one-on-one outings to local restaurants. Following the discovery of the digital messages, agents searched Lockman’s cellphone and a computer issued by the church. The search revealed multiple videos depicting children under age 12, including material that involved abusive conduct.<...