Michigan Sex Crime Attorneys Blog
On Tuesday August 20, 18-year-old Jacob Snyder was indicted by a grand jury on one count each of possessing, distributing, and receiving child pornography according to federal court records. Snyder is a former student of Eastern Michigan University.
Federal authorities allegedly found numerous videos and pictures of children who were unclothed on Snyder’s computer; the children were said to be younger than 12 years old in a news article at AnnArbor.com.
Authorities executed a warrant at Snyder’s father’s home in Ypsilanti Township, locating the suspect’s Dell laptop. Officials believe Snyder obtained a portion of the child pornography from his father’s IP address where he lives in the 5800 block of Textile Road. An affidavit signed by United States Customs Service special agent Bradley Manning states that Snyder consented to having the computer searched.
In September of 2012, Snyder was interviewed at both his father’s residence, and in his EMU dormitory room. He was a freshman at the time of the interview, although the student directory indicates he is no longer enrolled at the university. Snyder admitted during interviews to using Limewire, Ares, and other peer-to-peer file sharing networks for “maintaining and trafficking child pornography” while accessing the Internet through the IP address subscribed to by his father.
Court records indicate Snyder admitted to having child pornography stored on additional hard drivers which were located in a storage locker. Records also reveal authorities located 171 videos and 47 images of children who were engaged in what was called a “lascivious” display of the pubic and genital areas.
Snyder’s preliminary exam was scheduled for Friday August 23; he is scheduled to go before Judge Denise Page Hood for a jury trial on October 1 in U.S. District Court.
As all Michigan child pornography lawyers are aware, many innocent individuals are behind bars today for sex offenses they did not commit. While the defendant in this case admitted to the crimes, the penalties will be harsh if convicted. Those who receive sexually explicit material intended for distribution or who distribute child sexually abusive material may face a fine of up to $50,000 along with up to 7 years in prison.
If you or someone you know has been accused of child pornography, child molestation, rape, or any sex-related offense, it is urgent you consult with a talented Michigan sex crime attorney. Your future, freedom, and reputation are at stake, so act immediately.