Greenwood man gets 34 years after rape, child exploitation conviction

GREENWOOD, Ind. — A Greenwood man has been sentenced to over 30 years in prison after being convicted of rape, child seduction and other felony counts.

The Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office announced on Friday that 46-year-old Jeremy Blaker will serve 34 years in prison, followed by six years of probation. The terms of his sentencing mean Blaker must register as a sex offender for life and engage in sex offender evaluation and treatment.

Blaker earned his sentence after he was convicted on charges of rape, child seduction and 20 counts of child exploitation.

The sentencing stems from a 2023 investigation into allegations of molestation and rape involving a juvenile girl. As deputies investigated the claims, they discovered a cell phone belonging to Blaker that contained photos and videos of him molesting the victim and secretly recording the acts.

The victim told investigators it began when she was 8 years old. The allegations first surfaced when the victim told her mother about the sexual abuse. Previous reporting shows that the mother reportedly grabbed a firearm and used it to confront Blaker. Court documents detailed how Blaker admitted to abusing the girl as her mother pointed the weapon at his crotch and threatened to pull the trigger.

Blaker then agreed to show her where the phone was located before she told him to leave and never come back. The phone was then supplied to the police for evidence. Investigators later discovered 561 images and 223 videos of the victim, according to previous reports.

The investigation concluded on Jan. 30, 2024, when Blaker was officially charged with two counts of child molesting, a Level 1 felony; three counts of rape, a Level 3 felony; one count of child seduction, a Level 5 felony; and one count of child exploitation, a Level 5 felony.

Following a review of the evidence, the court concluded that Blaker’s actions were “deliberate” and “predatory.”

“Nearly three and a half decades in a barred cage where this criminal deviant can no longer rape or molest children is exactly what justice requires,” Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner said. “Our goal was to ensure he is both incarcerated and incapacitated. Most importantly, our victim feels safe and protected. This is how we protect children.”