Austin Man Indicted on Federal Charges Alleging Online Exploitation of Multiple Children Nationwide
Published: May 29th 2026
AUSTIN MN: An Austin man is in custody after a federal grand jury indicted him on charges alleging he enticed multiple child victims from across the United States to create and send sexually explicit images of themselves.
According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), 28-year-old Shadow Hawk Mallan was indicted following an investigation by BCA predatory crimes agents. Authorities allege Mallan targeted multiple child victims online and coerced them into producing sexually explicit images.
Investigators further allege that Mallan threatened victims with violence or the distribution of previously obtained images if they refused to provide additional explicit content.
The investigation was conducted by the BCA with assistance from the Austin Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Federal court records show Mallan has been indicted on charges related to the alleged exploitation of child victims. An indictment is a formal accusation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
The BCA encouraged the public to report suspicious online activity involving children. Reports can be made to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678), through local law enforcement agencies, or directly to the BCA at 651-793-7000.
Additional resources for victims and survivors are available through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.