A 31-year-old Colorado man has been sentenced to 84 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of the sexual exploitation of minors.
Austin Ryan Lauless, 31, was sentenced on Dec. 17, according to a Department of Justice news release. In addition to prison time, he faces a lifetime of supervised release.
Lauless pleaded guilty to 13 counts of sexual exploitation of a child, five counts of sex trafficking of a minor, two counts of advertising child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material, the Justice Department said.
The release said the 84 American victims come from almost every state, and that victims from at least five foreign countries have been identified.
According to court documents, the chain of exploitation began in late 2019 and continued through May 19, 2023, as Lauless used Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, Yubo, Purp, and other applications to coerce minors between the ages of 13 and 17 to produce sexually explicit images and videos.
Lauless lured minors by using a false identity.
The Justice Department said Lauless “used voice modulators and third-party image and video applications to edit content, making it appear as though it was recorded live through social media platforms such as Snapchat,” according to a previous DOJ release.
“He feigned romantic interest in victims, told them they were attractive, and pretended to be in online relationships. He purchased items for many victims through Amazon — including fishnet stockings, sexual devices, and customized T-shirts — which he instructed them to wear while producing sexually explicit material,” the release said.
💥Predator Sentenced to 84 Years in Nationwide Child Exploitation Case; 84 Victims Across U.S. and Abroad Identified
💥Austin Ryan Lauless, 31, of Colorado, has been sentenced to 84 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In September 2025, Lauless… pic.twitter.com/5cL2FF2wqE
— oflovenlight (@oflovenlig19498) December 31, 2025
Coercion followed compliance.
The release said Lauless threatened to disseminate images and videos if minors did not comply or went to their parents or police.
At least one victim told Lauless she was thinking of committing suicide.
Lauless made money off of his victims.
At least five minors were forced to have sex with adult men, the Justice Department said. Lauless then sold the videos.
The latest Justice Department release said Lauless used Discord, Instagram, Telegram, and MEGA to hawk videos, with at least 141 documented transactions.
“The sheer scale of this investigation and prosecution underscores the relentless commitment of federal law enforcement to dismantle networks of exploitation that prey on our children. Austin Lauless orchestrated a campaign of abuse that spanned nearly every state and multiple countries, leaving behind profound harm,” John Childress, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said.
“While no punishment can erase the trauma these young survivors endured, today’s sentence sends a clear message: we will pursue predators across every platform, every jurisdiction, and every border until justice is served,” he said.
“This case represents one of the most egregious forms of exploitation the FBI investigates. This was not an isolated crime — it was a nationwide and international campaign of exploitation that victimized at least 84 people, including children, and involved the trafficking of human beings,” FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley said.
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