A Richland County man has been sentenced in federal court in Cleveland for online child exploitation offenses, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced.
Shane E. Westerfeld, 51, of Mansfield, received 108 months in prison from U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan. He pleaded guilty in May to receipt of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and possession of child pornography. The court also imposed 10 years of supervised release and ordered $11,000 in restitution to victims.
Prosecutors said that in February 2024 Westerfeld was found trafficking child sexual abuse material on an online platform and communicating with an undercover agent who posed as a 13-year-old girl. Investigators found more than 100 abusive files, according to court documents cited by prosecutors. The government also said Westerfeld has a prior conviction for possessing child pornography in Canada.
The FBI Mansfield Resident Agency led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer J. King prosecuted. The case was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative against child sexual exploitation.
Reporting child exploitation is possible through cybertipline.org or 1-800-843-5678, available around the clock.