Former Jasper Youth Minister Sentenced to Nine Years for Child Pornography

Aaron Paul Lockman, 24, of Corydon, was sentenced March 6, 2026 to 108 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to nine counts related to possession of child sexual-abuse material, a U.S. District Court judge ordered $9,000 in restitution and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana prosecuted the case.

Lockman had worked as a youth minister in Jasper, where investigators say he was entrusted with supervising boys in youth programs and frequently took them on one-on-one outings, including trips to local restaurants. WJTS reported that the church identified in reporting as Redemption Christian Church terminated Lockman’s employment and barred him from church property when the federal probe became public in March 2024.

The probe that led to Lockman’s conviction began with the March 11, 2024 arrest of Matthew D. Constant, then-superintendent of Owensboro Public Schools, after FBI agents say Constant attempted to solicit sexual acts from minors. During that investigation, agents uncovered WhatsApp conversations between Constant and Lockman in which they discussed a shared sexual interest in children and exchanged illegal images of child sexual abuse.

Federal agents executed searches of Lockman’s church-issued computer and cell phone and recovered multiple videos depicting minors under the age of 12, including material involving abusive conduct, authorities reported. Lockman pleaded guilty to nine counts tied to possession of that material, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office handled the prosecution that resulted in the nine-year sentence.

Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said, “This office will continue to pursue anyone who preys on children, no matter their title, position, or community standing. Thanks to the swift work of our federal partners, he can no longer endanger the children he targeted and manipulated.”

FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley framed the sentence as a message to those who exploit minors and abuse positions of trust: "This sentence sends a clear message that anyone who exploits children - especially those who abuse positions of trust within their communities - will be held fully accountable," and "Protecting children from predators is one of the FBI’s highest priorities. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify offenders, support victims, and ensure justice is served."

The Lockman sentence is tied to a broader investigation that also produced a conviction in Kentucky: Matthew D. Constant was later sentenced May 8, 2025 to 30 years in federal prison after a federal jury indicted him on numerous child sexual exploitation offenses. The federal prosecutions in the Southern District of Indiana and related jurisdictions highlight how interagency investigations tracing digital communications and shared devices can lead to multiple prosecutions when people in schools and faith-based youth programs are implicated.