INDIANA
A federal judge sentenced an Indiana gospel singer to 60 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor and distribution of child pornography, according to authorities.
Shawn Shannon, 45, a traveling gospel singer, was sentenced this week by U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce. The judge also ordered Shannon to pay $1,387 in restitution to the victim.
Shannon was convicted on July 27, 2016, after a three-day jury trial of 19 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of distribution of child pornography.
Shannon is a member of The Shannons, a family gospel group based out of Muncie.
According to the family’s website, Shawn started a booking and promotion agency, S&B Promotions, in 2011.
According to evidence presented at trial, Shannon lured a 13-year-old boy to a hotel in Decatur, Illinois, and directed him to pose for a series of sexually explicit photos which Shannon took with his iPhone 5s.
The evidence showed that Shannon attempted to delete evidence from his iPhone 5s including thousands of text messages and contacts after the victim’s mother learned of Shannon’s conduct and confronted him.
Expert testimony presented at trial revealed that forensic examiners were able to recover these text messages which demonstrated Shannon’s nefarious intentions with the victim, according to officials.
Shannon also engaged in sexual contact with another minor boy and took similar photos, according to trial evidence.
Shannon was arrested on April 15, 2015, and was remanded into custody.