Canton man charged with conspiring to produce child porn as part of 10-year-long sex trafficking investigation
(CBS DETROIT) - A Canton man was charged with conspiring to produce child pornography in connection to texting a sex trafficker located in the Philippines about the types of child sex abuse materials he wanted to watch live through a webcam, officials announced.
Charles Calahan Lowe, 49, has been charged in a seven-count indictment, including the following:
- Conspiracy to produce child pornography, minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years
- Production of child pornography, minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years
- Receipt of child pornography, minimum sentence of 5 years up to 20 years
- Possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor victim or a minor who has not reached the age of 12, maximum sentence of 20 years.
He is the 112th person arrested in connection to a 10-year-long international sex trafficking investigation.
According to U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison, Lowe exchanged over 1,600 text messages with a sex trafficker, paying her $30 to $40 for live "shows" of minor girls. Some of the girls were as young as three years old.
Officials say the girls were abused in real-time, and sexually explicit photos and videos were shared on Skype.
Authorities discovered Lowe's involvement when they executed a search warrant on the sex trafficker's Skype account and found his messages.
They found out Lowe had sent wire payments for the material over Western Union at Rite Aid locations near his home. Officials say he did this so his wife wouldn't find out.
In addition, the sex trafficker has been arrested and charged overseas.
"The live sexual abuse of children over the internet is a heinous crime," said Ison. "We will continue to prosecute those who perpetrate these crimes against the most innocent and vulnerable members of society, wherever it is produced, to the fullest extent of the law."