An Arizona man has entered a guilty plea to multiple child pornography offenses stemming from a catfishing scheme that targeted young boys, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf announced yesterday. Donald Michael, 47, also known as "Baseball Fun," from Queen Creek, Arizona, pleaded guilty to all charges, including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute child pornography, before United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Michael was indicted in July of the previous year, serving as a baseball coach, and engaged in this exploitative activity for over 18 months. He collaborated with Andrew Wolf, a former teacher at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, and Kray Strange, of Carthage, New York, who were both previously convicted and sentenced, to coerce young boys they targeted into producing and sending sexually explicit images.
Metcalf described Michael's crimes as highly premeditated, saying, "Donald Michael and his co-conspirators strategized at length about how to 'bait' young boys into taking and sending explicit images of themselves." They took advantage of the internet's anonymity to lure unsuspecting victims into their depraved scheme. After his co-conspirators' arrests, Michael continued his predatory actions, manipulating Little League World Series players into becoming his next targets.
Michael faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, with the potential for up to 110 years, according to the announcement made by U.S. Attorney Metcalf. The sentencing is scheduled for August 14. Michael, running out of co-conspirators, continued the catfishing scheme, targeting minor boys who played in the Little League World Series. Upon sentencing, he will also be subject to registration as a child sex offender under both state and federal law.
Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Philadelphia, emphasized the enduring commitment to protecting children from online dangers, stating, "The sexual exploitation of children remains one of the most devious crimes the men and women of the FBI investigate. This serves as a reminder how seriously the FBI and our partners take the online victimization of minors. We will continue to work tirelessly to protect children from abuse and exploitation, and that ensure that those who harm them will be held accountable."
This case forms part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat the escalating crisis of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The cooperative project marshals resources at various levels of law enforcement to better locate perpetrators and support the victims of these heinous crimes.
