A man from Marion has been sentenced to over eight years of imprisonment for his crimes involving child pornography. Michael D. Mitchell, aged 36, received a sentence of 97 months after pleading guilty in May to charges related to the receipt and possession of child pornography. In a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, officials emphasized their commitment to prosecuting those who are caught in the web of online sexual exploitation of children.
Upon pleading guilty to two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession, "The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute individuals who view and upload child sexual abuse material, and a federal prison sentence is warranted for those who contribute to the online sexual exploitation of children," said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe, according to court documents that led to the conviction of an online tip from an internet platform user uploading child pornography. A subsequent search of Mitchell’s phone by agents revealed eight items categorizing child sexual abuse material.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson, of the Springfield Field Office, highlighted the efficient collaboration with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in this case. Using an online tip made to the Cyber Tipline, which helps to report incidents of sexual exploitation, Mitchell was identified. "Thanks to that tip, another offender is behind bars, no longer able to contribute to the spread of child sexual abuse material," Johnson stated.
Following his 97 months of incarceration, Mitchell is expected to be placed under supervised release for five years. The investigation, led by the FBI Springfield Field Office included partners deeply invested in protecting the innocence of childhood, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Sanders was responsible for prosecuting the case.
