Second child predator sentenced to 35 years in prison for sexually abusing a child and drugging her with methamphetamine

Cox is a repeat child sex offender who was convicted in 2004 of coercing a 14-year-old into sexual acts in exchange for a new bicycle.

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INDIANAPOLIS – Dustin Scott Cox, 54, of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison followed by life of supervised release after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child.

According to court documents, between at least February and September 2020, Dustin Cox conspired with Zachary Nichols to sexually abuse and produce sexual images of a fifteen-year-old child. Cox is a repeat child sex offender who was convicted in 2004 of coercing a 14-year-old into sexual acts in exchange for a new bicycle.

In 2020, Cox was Zachary Nichols’ methamphetamine dealer. Nichols sexually abused the child victim for years. Nichols began allowing Cox to sexually abuse the child as well in exchange for supplying Nichols with methamphetamine. Cox and Nichols recorded the victim’s sexual abuse on multiple occasions. The child was nearly incapacitated due to drug use in some of the child abuse materials produced by Nichols and Cox.

In June 2024, Zachary Nichols was sentenced to 42 years in federal prison for his role in the child’s sexual exploitation and abuse.

“These despicable perpetrators repeatedly sexually abused a child, incapacitated him with meth and traded the victim’s body for drugs,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Our thoughts are with the survivors of this horrific abuse and we hope this prosecution brings them some measure of peace. The lifelong trauma caused by these sick criminals deserves federal prison sentences that ensure none of them ever harm another child. Together with our partners at the FBI and IMPD, our office is committed to aggressively pursuing sex offenders who prey on our children and remove them from our communities.”

“Every child deserves to live and thrive in a safe environment, without fear of harm and abuse. This sentence reflects the seriousness of this heinous offense and should alert others that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold accountable those who exploit our children,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton.

The FBI and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II. Cox was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victim and to maintain his status as a sex offender wherever he lives, works or goes to school upon his release from federal prison.

U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.

This case was filed as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet track and identify and rescue victims.