A Kent County man accused of sexually exploiting four children was charged this week, federal officials announced.
Scott Michael Elam, 41, of Caledonia, allegedly recorded himself having sex with one of the minors on two occasions, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan said in a news release.
Elam also allegedly directed other victims to send him explicit photos and videos of themselves on Snapchat, according to an unsealed indictment filed Wednesday.
Elam was arrested and charged with seven counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. If convicted, he could face a mandatory prison sentence of a minimum of 15 years or a maximum of 30 years on each charge.
He was arraigned Thursday in Grand Rapids, where he pleaded not guilty, according to a court filing.
Elam’s attorney, James Stevenson Fisher, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Prosecutors’ evidence against Elam includes psilocybin recovered from his belongings, the contents of his cellphone and 13 videos, according to an initial pretrial memo filed with the court Thursday.
Investigators believe Elam may also have convinced other minors not involved in the charges to take and send him explicit photos and videos in exchange for alcohol and other items, the memo said.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI are investigating Elam’s case, which is part of the national Project Safe Childhood initiative, according to the news release.
“The Kent County Sheriff’s Office is committed to continuing the fight against child exploitation through our federal partnerships,” Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young said in the news release. “Additionally, this research is a reminder to our communities to have courageous conversations with your children about the dangers that social media poses.”
Details of the case emerged the same day authorities announced that another Western Michigan man convicted of sexually exploiting a girl as part of an online child pornography ring had been convicted. convicted up to 30 years in prison.
Last month, a Grand Rapids-area man was accused of peeking through the window of a girl’s home and secretly recording her during an “intimate moment.” pleaded guilty in federal court.
Also in October there was an Ecorse man convicted up to ten years in prison for sexually exploiting young people online.