MIAMI – An Ohio man has been sentenced to federal prison for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and attempting to entice a nine-year-old to engage in sexual activity.
U.S. District Judge Ed Artau sentenced Shane David Adams, 50, of Columbus, Ohio, to 480 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography after a previous conviction and attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.
“Shane Adams is a monster who believed he was arranging to sexually abuse a nine-year-old child, repeatedly distributed child sexual abuse material, and possessed a massive collection depicting the exploitation of children,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “He was a registered sex offender who had already been convicted of unlawful sexual contact with a minor. This 40-year sentence means he will likely spend the rest of his life in federal prison, and it sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue those who prey on children.”
According to court records, between Aug. 7, 2025, and Sept. 5, 2025, Adams communicated online and by phone with an individual he believed was the mother of a nine-year-old girl and discussed arranging a sexual encounter with the child. During those communications, Adams discussed engaging in sexual activity with the child, referenced having previously sexually abused another minor, and repeatedly sent videos containing CSAM.
Following Adams’s arrest, a search of his phone revealed over 1,000 images and hundreds of videos containing sexually explicit material involving children. At the time of the offense, Adams was a registered sex offender based on a prior Ohio conviction for unlawful sexual contact with a minor.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marton Gyires prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc .
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov , under case number 25-cr-80155.
###
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Southern District of Florida — U.S. Department of Justice press release.