GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A former janitor at Forest Hills Public Schools pleaded guilty on Friday to possession of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced Bradley Arkesteyn, 28, of Rockford, pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 12, 2025.
He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
“Child exploitation cases are some of our most critical as we work to protect our most vulnerable: our children,” said Totten. “While thankfully the evidence in this case did not reveal any hands-on abuse of children, there is everlasting harm suffered by the victims whose images were traded on the internet by Mr. Arkesteyn. I am proud of the law enforcement work to hold him accountable.”
In pleading guilty, Totten's office said Arkesteyn admitted to possessing more than 700 images of child pornography, some involving children who haven't reached puberty yet.
In the criminal complaint, it was described that Arkesteyn posted images and videos of child pornography in a social media group called "kiddo only."
According to Totten's office, Arkesteyn also communicated privately with an undercover FBI task force officer about sexual interest in children and his work as a custodian in Forest Hills Public Schools.
“Today's conviction of Bradley Arkesteyn sends a stern message to those who commit crimes involving our children that they will be investigated and arrested by members of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in Michigan. Mr. Arkseteyn used his position as a school janitor to feed his sexual interest in children,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI Michigan. “The members from FBI Michigan, alongside task force officers from the West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force, worked tirelessly to investigate this crime, and their dedicated work contributed to the conviction of a sexual predator.”
The case is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that was designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.
The FBI is investigating the case.
