Honk News (Oakland County, MI) – A man from Michigan faces several charges connected to child pornography, as law enforcement discovered digital storage devices holding “tens of thousands of child sexual abuse material files,” according to a report from the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday.
“The scale of depravity uncovered in this case is shocking,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said in the press release.
Authorities retrieved approximately 35 hard drives, in addition to various flash drives, CDs, DVDs, and computer equipment during their investigation, as stated in the report. Certain documents were reported to include references to bestiality.
Benjamin Weeks, 45, from Clarkston, faces serious charges including three counts of aggravated child sexually abusive activity and three counts of using a computer to commit a crime, according to the press release. The matter is currently awaiting resolution in the 52-2 District Court located in Clarkston.
“Law enforcement officials believe the defendant was attempting to create a server of child pornography,” the report said.
Every instance of severe child sexual abuse can lead to a maximum sentence of 25 years behind bars and/or a fine of $125,000. Every instance of utilizing a computer for criminal activities can lead to a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a fine of $20,000, with the possibility of serving sentences consecutively.
“Behind every one of these images and videos is a child who was the victim of unspeakable abuse. I’m committed to aggressively prosecuting child pornography cases so we can protect the next child from becoming a victim,” McDonald said.