In a stern move by the federal court, Jared Hanner, a 32-year-old man from Holland, Michigan, has been sentenced to a total of 35 years behind bars for charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Michigan, Hanner entered a guilty plea, accepting the mandatory prison sentence handed to him.
"Sexual exploitation crimes against our children are especially egregious," U.S. Attorney Mark Totten stated to the Department of Justice, committed to holding predators and their collaborators to account. In pursuit of justice, Hanner, already a registered sex offender, fell into conviction's snare, after having coerced Tasha Erin Blake, a 38-year-old woman from Grand Haven, into sending him explicit photos of a child under her care who was under 13 years of age. Following her indictment, Blake turned to confession and, earlier this year, received an 18-year sentence for Distribution of Child Pornography.
The reprehensible communications between Hanner and Blake came to light after diligent investigation, including a search warrant revealing the explicit images on Hanner’s phone. The FBI's Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge, told the Department of Justice that the efforts of the West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX) and partner law enforcement agencies were crucial in bringing the sentencing to fruition.
This case falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative that serves as a nationwide shield against online exploitation and abuse of children. Collaboratively, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, various prosecutors’ offices, and law enforcement at multiple levels are harmonizing their efforts to catch and prosecute exploiters of children. They, together with educating the public on the perils of child exploitation, and providing youngsters with the tools to protect themselves, weave a stronger safety net. Concerned individuals should carry their worries swiftly to local law enforcement with any information relating to potential child exploitation.
