Oxford Man Sentenced to 12½ Years for Transporting Child Pornography into Michigan

Terrence Berg, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, announced that Matthew Mercer-Kinser, 23, of Oxford, Michigan, was sentenced yesterday in Federal District Court following his February 2009 guilty plea to charges of transportation of child pornography in interstate commerce. Mr. Berg was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division. Mercer-Kinser was sentenced by the Honorable Robert H. Cleland to 151 months in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.

According to court records, Mercer-Kinser amassed a collection of thousands of videos and images of child pornography while living in Georgia. When he relocated to Michigan in the spring of 2008, he brought his collection with him. The illegal images and movies that he had collected over time included graphic depictions of the sexual assault of infants and small children, bondage, and bestiality. The FBI investigation of Mercer-Kinser was initiated by a referral from the Australian Federal Police, when Mercer-Kinser sent hundreds of child pornography images to an undercover Australian officer through his photo sharing account. Further investigation revealed that among Mercer-Kinser’s collection were approximately 1800 images of child pornography that had previously identified by law enforcement, depicting over 100 children who had been sexually victimized.

United States Attorney Terrence Berg said: "People who collect and distribute child pornography play a crucial role in perpetuating this deplorable industry. These young victims are exploited each and every time an image is viewed or sent over the Internet. Judge Cleland’s sentence sends a strong message that criminals who engage in similar conduct will be aggressively prosecuted and will face significant punishment. I commend the work of the local FBI, together with our colleagues in the Australian Federal Police, in bringing this defendant to justice.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Assistant United States Attorney Erin Shaw prosecuted the case for the United States.

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