Press Release
Contact:
JULIE ANN WOODS
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (616) 456-2404
SUTTONS BAY MAN GETS 16 YEARS FOR PROJECT SAFE CHILDHOOD CHARGE
TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2008 -
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Jerry Mikowski, age 24, of Suttons Bay, Michigan, was
sentenced to 16 years incarceration for distributing images of minors engaged in sexually explicit
conduct, U.S. Attorney Charles R. Gross announced today. In addition to 16 years in prison, U.S.
District Court Judge Paul L. Maloney ordered Mikowski to serve supervised release for life.
The investigation began in Portland, Oregon, when the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was investigating users, including Mikowski, of a peer-to-peer network for sharing images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. A forensic examination of Mikowski’s computer revealed that he had approximately 5,000 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images were primarily of prepubescent girls under the age of 12. Mikowski was charged as part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since Operation Predator was launched in 2003, ICE agents have arrested more than 11,000 individuals, including more than 250 in Michigan.
“All children have the right to grow up free from the fear of sexual exploitation,” said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Detroit. “ICE will not cease in its relentless pursuit of those who abuse our kids, whether that abuse is physical in nature or accomplished through the exploitation of their captured images." ICE encourages the ublic to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. The hotline is staffed around the clock.
U.S. Attorney Gross commended the Sault Saint Marie, Michigan, ICE Office for their work on the case. U.S. Attorney Gross added that “the citizens of the Western District of Michigan should understand that, as part of our Project Safe Childhood initiative, we remain fully committed to vigorously enforcing federal law against the possession or distribution of images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.” The case was prosecuted on behalf of the United States by Assistant U. S. Attorney Julie Ann Woods.
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