A former Indiana youth minister has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to nine counts of possessing child sex abuse material (CSAM), the United States attorney for the Southern District of Indiana announced on Friday (March 5). Aaron Paul Lockman, 24, will also be required to pay $9,000 in restitution.
Editor’s note: This article refers to reports of child sex abuse, which some readers might find triggering and/or disturbing.
The press statement did not disclose the name of the church where Lockman served as a youth minister.
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The district attorney’s office did specify that the church is in Jasper, Indiana, and that in his role at the church, Lockman “was entrusted with supervising young boys and frequently took them on one‑on‑one outings, including trips to local restaurants.”
WFIE identified the church as Redemption Christian Church, a multisite congregation headquartered in Jasper. ChurchLeaders has reached out to the church for comment and will update this article in the event of a response.
The investigation into Lockman began in March 2024 after the FBI arrested Matthew D. Constant, who had been serving as the superintendent of Owensboro Public Schools in Kentucky. Constant was accused of attempting to solicit sexual acts from children. In May, Constant was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
While investigating Constant, authorities discovered WhatsApp conversations between Constant and Lockman in which the two men “discussed their shared sexual interest in children and exchanged illegal images of child sexual abuse.”
After seizing Lockman’s church-issued computer and cell phone, investigators found “multiple videos depicting minors under the age of 12, including material involving abusive conduct.”
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“This sick individual placed himself in daily proximity to children and exploited his position as a minister to cultivate special relationships with vulnerable boys,” said Tom Wheeler, United States attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
