Federal and International

Valparaiso Man Sentenced To 30 Years


Hammond, IN-(ENEWSPF)- United States Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana, David A. Capp, announced that Zachary Berkshire, 32, of Valparaiso, Indiana was sentenced before District Court Judge Rudy Lozano for one count of enticement of a minor child and two counts of production of child pornography.

Berkshire was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment and Supervised Release for life.  He is also required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.

According to documents filed in this case, between June 2014 continuing through August 2014, Berkshire used a computer connected to the Internet and a cell phone to contact a minor between the ages of 12 and 15 years old.  Berkshire persuaded the victim to meet him at a park in Northwest Indiana for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.  Despite knowing the victim was under the age 15 and after he had sex with her in the park, Berkshire continued to maintain contact with her online and via text message. Between January 12, 2015 and January 14, 2015, Berkshire sent text messages to the victim requesting close up pictures of her private parts which he received.  During the investigation, a second victim was found to be targeted on August 12, 2013, when Berkshire recorded her with a hidden camera in a bathroom of his house without her knowledge for the express purpose of obtaining sexually explicit footage.  Berkshire sent this information via his personal email address to another individual.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana State Police. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Denise Houston.

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