A concerned dad was forced to turn in his own son to the police after finding out the 30-year-old had been sending nude photos of himself to a minor.
The father initially informed state police of the photos in October, triggering a lengthy investigation that included interviews, search warrants and electronic equipment analysis by the state police Computer Crimes Unit.
Michael Raymond-Ulrich Simmons, of Cadillac, was arrested on Wednesday following an investigation from Michigan State Police after they got a tip from his father two years ago, WJHG reported.
In the state, the age to consent to a sexual act is 16. There are also no details about the circumstances that led to the father’s discovery of the alleged perversions of his son.
The department’s Computer Crime Crimes Unit conducted lengthy interviews and searches to analyze Simmons’ web activity, leading Missaukee County prosecutors to authorize a warrant for his arrest on February 24.
Simmons faces up to nine years in prison and a $4,000 fine if convicted. It is unclear who the recipient of the images was, what they depicted, and how Simmons’ dad found them.
Simmons turned himself into police custody a week later and was detained at Missaukee County Jail before being released on a personal recognizance bond.
A personal recognizance bond, explained Nolo, is a “no-cost bail.”
“Defendants released on their own recognizance need only sign a written promise to appear in court as required. No bail has to be paid, either to the court or to a bail bond seller,” stated Nolo.
He is charged with accosting a child for immoral purposes, intentional dissemination of sexually explicit material, and using a computer to commit a crime.
If convicted, Simmons would also have registered as a sex offender.