Indianapolis man sentenced after transporting teen across state lines for sex

INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to transporting a teen across state lines and impregnating her.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, 26-year-old Larry Goldsmith pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity.

In 2020, Goldsmith was messaging a 14-year-old living in Michigan through two social media applications. The release said that Goldsmith knew the teen’s age even though he engaged in sexually explicit conversations with her.

In August 2020, Goldsmith drove more than four hours to Michigan and picked up the teen after she got into an argument with her mother. The release said Goldsmith “engaged in sexually explicit conduct” with the teen multiple times as they traveled to Indiana and when they got to Indiana. The teen eventually became pregnant.

The release said that after committing these offenses, Goldsmith drugged and raped a 13-year-old in Georgia. In 2022, Goldsmith pleaded guilty to the crimes in Georgia and was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, a sentence he is currently serving.

“Goldsmith is no longer a danger to children and families in our community,” said John E. Childress, the acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “He is a manipulative, child predator who used the tools of social media to abuse a vulnerable child over and over again. I commend the outstanding work of local law enforcement agencies in Indiana and Georgia, along with the FBI, to bring the victim home safely.”

The release said that the Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, investigated this case. Under the sentence, Goldsmith is required to register as a sex offender.

“This sentence sends a clear message—those who harm children will be held accountable,” IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said in the release. “The dedication and diligence of our IMPD officers, along with law enforcement agencies across the country, played a critical role in getting this predator behind bars.”