Harold Leroy Knight Jr., 53, of Manitou Beach, was taken into custody by Michigan State Police on charges of possessing child sexually abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime. The arrest followed a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which led to the investigation, according to WILX.
Knight was investigated by the MSP Computer Crimes Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, leading to a search of his home and the seizure of electronic evidence. He is charged with three counts of aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material, each carrying up to 10 years in prison, and one count of using a computer to commit a crime, which carries a 10-to-20-year sentence. He was arraigned on Wednesday and released on a $160,000 bond. Court records show he waived his right to an attorney, with a probable cause conference on March 12 and a preliminary examination on March 19, as detailed by Daily Telegram.
The Michigan State Police is encouraging parents to discuss internet safety with their children. They have provided online resources on the Michigan ICAC Task Force website. Suspected child sexual exploitation can be reported to the CyberTipline run by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as reported by CBS News Detroit.
