Michigan Sex Crime Attorneys Blog
Original Case Details
A Kalamazoo man was arrested on February 13, 2020 in connection with a bank robbery that occurred in Kalamazoo. The man allegedly went inside the downtown Kalamazoo Chase Bank unarmed and demanded money from a bank employee. He was given an amount of money by that employee and then took off. Surveillance footage was release by the police not long after the robbery. Detectives recognized the man from the footage and tracked him down to a residence and arrested him roughly 24 hours later. According to a federal complaint filed in U.S. District Court, the man admitted to robbing the bank and leaving with about $7,000 in cash. He also told the officer than he had already spent approximately $2,000 at a local strip club. He is facing a maximum prison sentence of up to 20 years and/or up to a $250,000 fine.
Where Is The Child Pornography Connection?
The man is also now being attached to a child pornography case that is unfolding in the state of Washington. The man’s ex-girlfriend was recently arrested on child rape charges. The woman is believed to have molested her 2-year old son on three different occasions in the same night and filmed each of the acts. She then sent the videos to the man. She claims she took the videos because she was blackmailed with revenge porn by her now ex-boyfriend. He allegedly told her to record the sex acts and send them to him or he would release sex tapes he recorded of them while they were together. Reports say that the videos show the woman crying while performing the sex acts on her child. She stated that she chose the love of her man over the welfare of her child. The man is yet to be charged but he seems to be squarely in the cross hairs of the police. The case itself started when a man believed he was dreaming when he woke up in the middle of the night to a text message from a former co-worker which had the video on it. He then woke up later and realized it was not a dream and called the Spokane County Sheriff’s office. The mother of the 2-year old was later arrested and that laid the foundation for where the case stands today.
Possible Penalties For Possession Of Child Pornography
Child pornography crimes are especially despised by prosecutors and judges alike. First time offenders convicted of producing child pornography can face a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison. A first-time offender who is convicted of transporting child pornography could face a mandatory minimum of 5 years in federal prison. If you have been convicted previously or the offense itself had some facts that aggravated the offense, then you could be facing up to life in prison. Child pornography charges can be tried at both the federal and state level. It would seem that this case would be squarely within the federal court since he is already dealing with a pending federal matter and it would seem the images were shared across state lines, making the distribution an act of interstate commerce, thus giving the federal court jurisdiction. Child pornography charges are not to be taken lightly in any circumstance, and if the facts in this case are true, then the man and woman both face an uphill battle for freedom.
Any Further Questions?
If you or a loved one is being investigated for possession of child porn or have already been charged with an offense related to child porn, then it is important to speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately. At Grabel & Associates, our attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience in successfully defending criminal cases all over the state of Michigan. This experience extends not only to adult cases, but also to juvenile charges. We are not a general practice firm. We are a team of criminal defense attorneys; it’s all we do. We offer a FREE consultation to anyone with questions relating to a possible or existing criminal charge against them or a loved one. Feel free to contact us on our 24/7 defense line at 1-800-342-7896. You can also contact us online or come visit us at one of our three statewide locations. We can also come to you.