Indy man sentenced to over 28 years for molesting, exploiting boy while babysitting

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis man was sentenced to spend almost three decades behind bars for molesting and exploiting a 12-year-old boy while babysitting in 2023.

Ronald May, 54, was sentenced to 340 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child, a release said on Monday.

According to court documents, May worked with the boy’s mother, a store manager for the company, who would work overnight shifts due to her duties. May volunteered to babysit her son while she was at work overnight.

Beginning on March 5 and continuing until April 28, May purchased items for the child, “wrestled” with him, required him to sleep in May’s bed together nude, showed the boy adult pornography, and discussed sexual activity.

Police say May sexually assaulted the boy during the forced “wrestling” sessions and used his cellphone to take at least 30 sexually explicit images of the child.

On April 23, the mother discovered the abuse and reported it to the police. After police searched May’s home, he began to harass the mother by constantly calling and sending her text messages. May also drove by the mother’s home after the searches and sent threatening messages including, “u can’t hide I know where u live.”

“This criminal’s actions are every parent’s nightmare. Every day, children are horrifically abused by predators like this defendant, who work insidiously to build trust—while hiding the worst of intentions,” said Zachary A. Myers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, in a release. “The exploitation of our children is utterly unacceptable in a civilized society, and pedophiles like this one will be held accountable for their crimes. Thanks to the hard work of investigators and prosecutors, this man will never harm another child.”

A judge ordered May to serve 20 years probation following his release from federal prison and pay $10,000 in restitution to the child.