Michigan State Police investigation leads to arrest of man in England linked to child sex computer probe
An investigation by Michigan State Police in the southwest region of the state has led to the arrest of a foreign man after he allegedly tried blackmailing a girl into send inappropriate photos to him.
The arrest followed a multi-agency investigation that spanned both state police and federal law enforcement.
State troopers were initially dispatched to a location in Sherwood Township, which is south of Battle Creek and near Michigan's southern border.
A report came in that an 11-year-old had accidentally sent an inappropriate photo to an unknown person through Snapchat. According to police, the suspect described themselves as a 15-year-old female.
After making threats of blackmail for the victim to send more photos, the 11-year-old alerted their parents, who then told police.
Troopers obtained a search warrant for the suspect's Snapchat account. Inside the account were "hundreds of photos and videos," of which some depicted sexually abusive material involving underage children.
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The investigation also revealed the suspect may live in England. The Department of Homeland Security was contacted and worked with MSP to pass evidence to authorities in England.
The suspect, later identified as a 17-year-old male, was arrested in England.