ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. — A Wyoming man has been sentenced after pleading no contest to multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct and the production of child pornography.
Gary Christopher Carlson, of Wyoming, was sentenced to a minimum of 37 and a half years on Tuesday. He pleaded no contest to 26 charges in June:
- 8 Counts of Aggravated Child Sexual Abusive Materials
- 8 Counts of Using a computer to commit a crime
- 9 Counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct 1st degree
- 1 Count of Children-Accosting for Immoral Purposes
Allegan County investigators say Carlson was hired through an online child care service to care for a 14-year-old girl and a 2-year-old girl. He then allegedly made child sexual abusive materials while supervising the girls.
According to the warrant affidavit, Allegan County deputies obtained a search warrant of Carlson's cell phone and found multiple sexually abusive videos of the 2-year-old girl.
He's also accused of having sexual conversations with the girl's 14-year-old sister.
Carlson was taken into custody on June 23, 2023.
Allegan County Prosecutor Myrene Koch, who handled the case, said she hopes the family impacted can now move forward.
“An upward departure in the sentencing guidelines was justified due to the heinous nature of the defendant’s actions against young and vulnerable children, the sheer volume of acts committed including first degree criminal sexual conduct and aggravated child sexually abusive material, as well as his predatory conduct in specifically seeking employment as a caregiver to children," she said. "The victims and their family have a long road of healing ahead that hopefully can begin now that the criminal case has been completed.”
