Two Warren men are facing a combined 18 felony counts after Michigan State Police and Warren investigators say they spent weeks tracking online activity that led to search warrants at two homes and the seizure of numerous electronic devices. Michael Wilks, 59, and Dean Roberts, 33, were taken into custody on Wednesday and arraigned the following day at 37th District Court, where both pleaded not guilty to charges tied to possession and distribution of child sexually abusive material.
The investigation, dubbed “Operation By The Bell,” was led by the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which received information that individuals were allegedly downloading and distributing child sexually abusive material online, according to ClickOnDetroit. The probe began in early August and eventually led investigators to identify Wilks and Roberts, who the outlet reports admitted their alleged involvement to police. Search warrants directed at internet service providers, social media platforms and technology companies helped build the case before officers moved on the men's homes.
On Wednesday, the ICAC Task Force executed search warrants at residences in the 27000 block of Baldwin and the 11000 block of Jackson in Warren, with the Warren Police Department's Special Response Team and Special Operations units supporting the operation. Officers recovered numerous electronic devices from the properties, per the same report. The Warren Police Department coordinated closely with the state task force throughout the investigation, which police say seeks to identify and disrupt online networks involved in the exploitation of children.
Charges Stack Up Under Michigan's Computer Crime Law
Wilks faces the heavier load of the two, with 14 felony counts that include four counts of possession of child sexually abusive material, three counts of aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material, and seven counts of using a computer to commit a crime. Roberts faces four felony counts: aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material, aggravated distributing or promotion of child sexually abusive activity, using a computer to communicate with another person to commit child sexually abusive activity, and using a computer to commit a crime.
Michigan's sentencing structure makes those computer-related counts especially consequential. Under Michigan Penal Code MCL 750.145d, using a computer to commit a felony carrying a four- to 10-year maximum is itself an independent felony punishable by up to 10 years, and courts may order that sentence to run consecutively to any sentence for the underlying crime, according to the Abdo Law Firm. Simple possession of child sexually abusive material under MCL 750.145c carries up to four years and a $10,000 fine, while aggravated possession — involving factors like depictions of prepubescent children, extreme abuse, or large quantities of files — is a Class B felony with a maximum 10-year sentence, per the Michigan Legislature.
The Macomb County Prosecutor's Office authorized the felony charges against both men. Neither Wilks nor Roberts has a prior criminal record, the station's report notes. Both men were given $250,000 cash or surety bonds, and if they post bond, they will be barred from using the internet, required to wear GPS tethers, ordered to have no contact with anyone younger than 18, and required to stay away from locations where children congregate, including parks and schools.
Police Commissioner Thanks Task Force Partners
Warren Police Commissioner Eric Hawkins praised the agencies involved in the investigation and thanked the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office, and Warren police personnel for their work on the case. “Protecting children is the Warren Police Department's highest priority,” Hawkins said, according to the outlet's report. Hawkins took over as Warren's police commissioner in September 2024, appointed by Mayor Lori M. Stone after six years as police chief in Albany, New York, and an earlier stint leading the Southfield Police Department in Michigan, according to News 10 Albany.
A Warren police special victims detective has participated in the task force since June 2026, underscoring the department's ongoing involvement in the statewide enforcement effort. The case fits a broader pattern of aggressive child exploitation enforcement across Macomb County. Hoodline previously reported on a Roseville man facing life in a separate CSAM prosecution, and in July 2026, 32-year-old Richard Call of Warren was sentenced in Macomb County Circuit Court to 27 months to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of CSAM distribution following an MSP ICAC Task Force investigation, according to Detroit Legal News.
Registry Mandates and a Statewide Tip Network
Individuals convicted of child sexually abusive material offenses in Macomb County face 25-year Tier II Sex Offender Registry mandates as well as listing under Wyatt's Law, a statewide database tracking those convicted of crimes against children, per the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office. That office has also pushed back against sentences it viewed as too lenient — in August 2026, Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Michael E. Servitto resentenced 30-year-old Jasmine Rix to five years of probation with one year in county jail for distributing CSAM after Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido argued her original 60-day jail sentence was insufficient.
The Michigan ICAC Task Force operates as part of a national network of 61 federally coordinated task forces representing more than 4,500 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies dedicated to combating online child exploitation, according to the Michigan State Police. Public tips remain a major driver of these investigations statewide — Michigan's OK2SAY tip system received 10,777 tips in 2025, the second-highest annual total in its history.
Investigators have not said whether the case will expand beyond Wilks and Roberts or whether it connects to a broader distribution network; that remains an open question as forensic analysis of the recovered devices continues. The Warren Police Department can be reached at 586-574-4700, and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline accepts reports through report.cybertip.org or by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
