Press Release
Contact:
DANIEL Y. MEKARU
ASSISTANT U.S. ATTORNEY
PHONE: (616) 456-2404
DEFENDANT PLEADS GUILTY TO POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2008 - GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. - Michael Warwick Doherty, 65, of Greenville, Michigan, pled guilty on June 3, 2008, to a charge of possessing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, U.S. Attorney Charles R. Gross announced today.
Sentencing for Doherty is scheduled for September 8, 2008, before the Honorable Robert Holmes Bell, Chief U.S. District Court Judge. At sentencing, the defendant will be facing up to10 years in prison, a maximum of a lifetime term of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
Doherty was identified as an individual interested in child pornography through an undercover operation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Postal Inspectors executed a search warrant at his residence. Doherty was interviewed and admitted that he possessed child pornography, which was confirmed by the computer forensic examination.
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, Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), and federal, state, 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. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The investigation of this matter was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Prosecution of this case is assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru.
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