Derek Cress

Child Abuse Investigations Specialist
Zero Abuse Project

Derek Cress is a Child Abuse Investigations Specialist with Zero Abuse Project. In 2023, Derek retired from Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) after 24 years of decorated service to the community by achieving the investigative designation of Master Detective. For the past 17 years, he was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Branch where he held investigative and training roles within the Child Abuse Unit, Sex Offense Unit, and most recently, the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. He was fortunate to be selected and cross designated as a Task Force Officer with the FBI, where he participated in multiple successful federal child exploitation investigations, prosecutions, and convictions while partnering with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.

Presentation(s):

• How Much is a Boy Worth? The Challenge of Finding Justice for the Boy in the Videos

  Monday, August 4, 2025
  8:00 AM – 9:15 AM CT

• CI’s & CSAM: When an Adult Hookup Leads to the Discovery of Child Exploitation and CSAM Trafficking

  Monday, August 4, 2025
  10:00 AM – 11:15 AM CT

• Down the Rabbit Hole: The Complicated Process of Investigating Sextortion

  Monday, August 4, 2025
  4:00 PM – 5:15 PM CT

• All the Cool Kids are Playing It: Livestream Platform/Server Search Warrants for Discord and Twitch

  Tuesday, August 5, 2025
  12:00 PM – 1:15 PM CT

• How Much is a Boy Worth? The Challenge of Finding Justice for the Boy in the Videos (REPEAT)

  Wednesday, August 6, 2025
  8:00 AM – 9:15 AM CT

• CI’s & CSAM: When an Adult Hookup Leads to the Discovery of Child Exploitation and CSAM Trafficking (REPEAT)

  Wednesday, August 6, 2025
  10:00 AM – 11:15 AM CT

• Down the Rabbit Hole: The Complicated Process of Investigating Sextortion (REPEAT)

  Wednesday, August 6, 2025
  2:00 PM – 3:15 PM CT