Man Receives 24-Year Prison Sentence for Sex Crimes Involving Minors

Randal Wise, 45, from Lebanon, Indiana, was sentenced in Trenton federal court today for multiple sex offenses, including child pornography and enticement of a minor.

In a significant judicial conclusion on July 24, 2024, Randal Wise was sentenced to 288 months, or 24 years, in prison after being found guilty on four counts of sex offenses related to minors. U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp handed down the sentence in Trenton, marking the end of a case that highlighted the dangers of online exploitation of children.

The case against Wise stemmed from incidents in October 2019 when he used a dating application to approach what he believed were minor boys. The first interaction occurred on October 24, 2019, where Wise, thinking he was communicating with a 14-year-old boy, engaged in sexually explicit conversations and exchanged inappropriate photographs. The supposed minor was, in reality, an undercover officer.

The following day, Wise repeated his actions with another user on the same application, unaware that this was also an undercover operation. His conversations over 24 hours with this second officer were laden with sexual content, and he even arranged a meeting for physical engagement, which led to his arrest on October 26, 2019.

Further investigation revealed that Wise's phone contained multiple instances of child pornography, confirming his engagement in these illegal activities. In addition to his prison term, Judge Shipp also imposed a 10-year supervised release, emphasizing the severity of the offenses and the need for ongoing monitoring after Wise's eventual release from prison.

This case serves as a grim reminder of the persistent threats posed by online predators and underscores the importance of vigilance in digital interactions.