Timothy Lennard Gebhart, a resident of Woodbury, has admitted guilt in charges related to the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material. Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick announced that Gebhart coerced minors into engaging in explicit activities for the purpose of creating pornographic content.
Court documents reveal that between July 2021 and March 2022, Gebhart compelled a 16-year-old known as Minor A and a 14-year-old referred to as Minor B to partake in sexually explicit conduct for video production. After securing these images, he distributed them via digital platforms and used them to extort money from Minor A by threatening reputational harm.
Gebhart's guilty plea was entered in U.S. District Court before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell on charges including two counts of child pornography production, one count of distribution, and one count of interstate communication with intent to extort. Sentencing will occur at a future date, with Gebhart facing a minimum sentence of 15 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Kirkpatrick condemned sextortion practices stating, “Sextortion—threatening to share explicit images of a victim unless they comply with a predator’s demands—is abhorrent,” adding that her office remains committed to prosecuting such cases vigorously.
This legal action is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts among various law enforcement agencies.
The investigation involved collaboration between the Woodbury Police Department, Greene County Sheriff’s Department in Indiana, Indiana State Police, FBI, and support from the Owatonna Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Classen is handling the prosecution.