GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The U.S. Attorney's Office in Grand Rapids says that a former Grandville orthodontist is being charged with child exploitation.
Prosecutors announced that 43-year-old Thomas Shannon was arrested in Frankfort, which is in Benzie County. The criminal complaint alleges that a therapist reported a 16-year-old minor had been sexually exploited on Snapchat.
Investigators identified the victim’s alleged perpetrator as Thomas Shannon, using SnapChat and CashApp records.
Here are more details from U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey's Office news release:
Shannon hired a private forensic examiner to review his phone to prove that he did not have child pornography. The examiner, however, found child pornography and turned it over to police. Investigators reviewed the phone and Snapchat records, which revealed additional minor victims, one whom was only twelve years old. One additional minor victim came forward. She met Shannon online and he directed her to video chat with him while engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Shannon is charged with the following crimes, which carry the following penalties:
Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography: mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in prison
Receipt of Child Pornography: mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in prison
Possession of Child Pornography: up to 20 years in prison
Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor: mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison
Sexual Exploitation of a Minor: mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the Fuquay Varina Police Department in North Carolina, and the Prince George’s County Police Department in Maryland.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor’s offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials
The charges in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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