Tip Leads To Arrest Of Michigan Man On Child Porn Charges

HILLSDALE (WWJ) - A 40-year-old man is jailed on multiple felony charges after a tip led Michigan State Police investigators to his Hillsdale County home.

Chadwick Forant of Jonesville was arrested Thursday, Aug. 10, by troopers with the MSP Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force who had launched an investigation as a result of a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Cyber Tip.

Police say a search of Forant's house resulted in multiple devices being seized and evidence of sex crimes involving children located on one of the devices. No details about that evidence were immediately released.

Forant has been charged with three counts of possession of child sexually abusive material, three counts of using a computer to commit a crime and one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes. Bond was set at $115,000 cash or surety bond at an arraignment on all counts.

If convicted, Forant faces up to four years in prison for each count of possession of child sexually abusive material, seven years in prison for each count of using of a computer to commit a crime and four years in prison for accosting a child for immoral purposes.

The MSP Computer Crimes Unit encourages parents to speak to their children about the safe use of the internet. Get tips for keeping kids safe online at this link.