A Crawfordsville man was sentenced Tuesday in Montgomery Superior Court 1 after pleading guilty to two counts of child exploitation stemming from a 2024 investigation into the online distribution of child pornography.
Blake Alan Dagley, 23, was originally charged with more than 20 counts before pleading guilty to one Level 4 felony count of child exploitation involving the dissemination of material depicting a child younger than 12 and one Level 5 felony count of child exploitation involving the dissemination of material depicting a minor. More than 20 additional charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, and his prior probation was partially revoked.
Judge Heather Barajas sentenced Dagley to eight years on the Level 4 felony and three years on the Level 5 felony and ordered the sentences to be served concurrently. Of that sentence, three years will be served in a Indiana Department of Corrections facility, with five years suspended to probation. Dagley is also required to register as a sex offender.
Barajas also told Dagley he would need to receive treatment for sexual maladaptive behaviors.
The Level 4 conviction involved a video gallery containing more than 50 videos depicting child pornography, including material involving bestiality, bondage and use of force. The Level 5 conviction involved a video Dagley disseminated showing a minor performing sexual acts with an adult male. Authorities said Dagley distributed the material online.
The charges followed an investigation by the Montgomery County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which received multiple cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating that images of child pornography had been shared on the messaging app Kik between June and August 2024. Investigators determined multiple accounts were linked to a single IP address, which led them to Dagley.
At the time of the investigation, Dagley was already on probation from a July 11, 2024, case in which he had been charged with possession of child pornography and marijuana. Court records indicate he was sentenced to probation on the marijuana charge, while the child pornography charges in that case were dismissed.
During Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Dagley told the court his actions were influenced by trauma he experienced as a child, including being molested, as well as drug use. He said he has since sought counseling and remained sober.
In handing down the sentence, Barajas emphasized the role of distribution in such offenses.
“Without an audience no one would make it,” she said. “It’s not that you were just using it, but you wanted to share it. That’s more egregious.”
