ZEELAND, Mich. — A Zeeland man is heading to prison for almost four decades after distributing child pornography while on probation for another sex crime.
Matthew James Warne, 34, has been sentenced to 38 years in federal prison for distributing and attempting to distribute child pornography. He is also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release after his sentence is finished.
“The significant sentence in this case underscores the importance of keeping innocent children safe from dangerous predators and serves as a warning to those individuals who prey upon the most vulnerable in our society,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Distributing child abuse images repeatedly victimizes a child and the FBI will dedicate resources to investigating anyone who commits crimes of this nature.”
Warne was found to have shared thousands of images and videos of child pornography online while on probation for a previous sex crime.
Investigators say Warne was using the social media app Telegram to talk to others about child pornography and send them images and video.
The investigation of Warne began after a tip that he had been filming inappropriately in a bathroom at his workplace.
Warne has two previous sex crime convictions from 2013 and 2018.
In 2013, Warne was convicted of third-degree criminal sexual conduct on a plea deal.
In 2018, Warne was convicted of criminal sexual conduct-assault with intent to commit sexual penetration on a plea of no contest.
Warne was on parole for the previous crimes when he was found distributing child pornography. He pled guilty to the latest charge.
“Every day of this sentence against Mr. Warne is deserved, but it hardly begins to undo the harm against the innocent and vulnerable children who are the victim of this crime,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Each image of child pornography that Warne possessed and distributed represents the sexual abuse of a real child. Our efforts to prosecute people who commit these crimes will continue and those who commit these types of crimes will face a similar fate.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Ottawa County Sheriff's Office and was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.
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