Carmel man assaulted and sexually abused teenager

CARMEL, Ind. — A Carmel man who preyed on a vulnerable teenager and sexually exploited her faces nearly 23 years in federal prison.

Thomas Cade Martin, 27, pleaded guilty to distributing sexually explicit conduct involving a minor and possessing child sexual abuse material. He also admitted to sexually exploiting a teenager, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana said.

A federal judge sentenced Martin to 275 months in prison, followed by 20 years of probation, during which Martin must register as a sex offender.

“Martin sexually abused and exploited a 15-year-old boy after gaining his admiration and trust online. Exploiting vulnerable teenagers for sexual purposes is a despicable crime that deserves a lengthy prison sentence,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Carmel police began investigating Martin in late 2022 after receiving a report that Martin was exploiting a teenager. Martin reportedly met the victim on Grindr and lied about his identity and age.

According to police, Martin cared for the victim, bought him gifts and invited him to dinner. Martin even bought the victim a birthday cake on his birthday.

When investigators searched Martin’s phone, they discovered photographs of Martin and the victim taken during their numerous meetings.

“Today’s sentence should serve as a warning to potential sex offenders and criminals: anyone who solicits and exploits minors for sex will spend many years in federal prison,” Myers said.

In addition to his sentence, Martin was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution.

“The work of everyone involved in Mr. Martin’s case demonstrates how committed we are to protecting our most precious asset, our children. This type of heinous crime will simply not be tolerated,” said Carmel Police Chief Drake Sterling.

A booking photo of Thomas Martin was not provided.