An Iowa man has been sentenced on both state and federal charges in relation to cases involving attempts to exploit minors online both in Rockbridge County and in Iowa.
According to a press release from the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, Luke Stephen Crouse, 35, of Ames, Iowa, was first indicted by a Rockbridge County Grand Jury in September 2024 following an investigation initiated the previous March by online communications from Crouse to an investigator with the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. Over the communications, Crouse “repeatedly engaged in sexually explicit conversations, attempted to arrange illegal sexual encounters and sought to exploit what he believed to be a minor child.”
Crouse was indicted on six counts of attempting to take indecent liberties with a child under the age of 15, six counts of attempted production of child pornography and seven counts of proposing a sex act to a minor. On April 14, 2025, he pled guilty to the attempted indecent liberties charges, one count of attempted production of child pornography and two counts of proposing a sex act to a minor and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
During the investigation and prosecution of the case in Rockbridge County, authorities discovered evidence that Crouse was involved in a separate case of child exploitation, this one involving an actual minor victim in Iowa. An investigator with the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office developed information related to that offense and worked with the United States Department of Homeland Security to investigate the case further, which ultimately led to a federal prosecution.
On July 15, 2025, Crouse was indicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on five federal charges: two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of possession of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of committing a felony offense against a minor while being a registered sex offender. According to federal court records, Crouse “coerced” the victim into sending “sexually explicit images and videos, and, in turn, sent sexually explicit material of himself to the victim.” On Sept. 11, 2026, Crouse entered a guilty plea to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison, which will be served consecutively with his sentence in Rockbridge County. Following his release from federal custody, he will be subject to an additional 10 years of supervised release.
”This case serves as a reminder that individuals who seek to exploit children online can and will be identified, arrested, and held accountable,” Rockbridge County Sheriff Tony McFaddin said in the press release. “Our investigators work diligently to protect children from predators who use the internet to target and groom minors. The successful prosecution of this offender in both state and federal court demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement at every level to safeguarding our children and ensuring those who prey on them face serious consequences.”
Sheriff McFaddin also commended the investigators involved in the case and recognized the cooperative efforts between local, state, and federal law enforcement that resulted in Crouse’s prosecution.
“The internet provides offenders with unprecedented access to potential victims,” McFaddin added. “Parents should remain vigilant, maintain open communication with their children about online activity, and report suspicious behavior immediately. Protecting children remains one of our highest priorities.”
