Michigan Man, 54, pleads guilty to sexual exploitation of a child

(CBS-DETROIT) – A 54-year-old Grandville man faces 15 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal charge of sexual exploitation of a child.

Thomas Hungerford signed a plea deal Friday, dismissing two charges of distributing child pornography.

According to U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, Hungerford recorded a girl in August 2023 who engaged in sexually explicit activities without her knowledge or consent. The Grandville man then saved the video to a removable storage device.

Hungerford was charged on May 24 following the execution of a federal search warrant. He has been in custody since that day.

Totten says he will be sentenced “in the coming weeks.” According to the plea agreement, the sentence could include the dismissed charges of distribution of child pornography.

“I am grateful to the FBI for its swift and careful work on this case and for the work the Bureau does every day to protect children,” Totten said in a news release.

The FBI is investigating the case.