Sylvania Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charges

A two-count indictment was unsealed charging Thomas W. Michaelis, age 69, of Sylvania, Ohio, with receipt/distribution of child pornography and possession/access intent to view child pornography, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

Michaelis received and distributed the images between April and May. He possessed and accessed with intent to view one or more web sites which contained depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct between January and May, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The investigating agencies in this case are the United States Secret Service and the Sylvania Police Department.  The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Alissa M. Sterling

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  The Defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.