Derry man sentenced to 20 years in federal child pornography case
Jul. 18—A Derry Borough man convicted of producing, possessing and distributing child pornography was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on Tuesday, according to Western District of Pennsylvania U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan.
Michael Wilson, 44, of Derry, was sentenced to 20 years in prison followed by 15 years supervised release.
Federal prosecutors said that on multiple occasions between 2019 and May 2021, Wilson recorded five different minors engaged in sexual activity with a recording device he accessed using his cell phone.
Federal officials also said that in the fall of 2019, Wilson communicated with another individual through online chat programs about sexual abuse of minors and sent images he'd secretly recorded of a minor engaged in sexual activity.
Wilson was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $6,000, as well as a $600 criminal monetary penalty pursuant to the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018. The federal law sets a floor of $3,000 in restitution for victims, created a Child Pornography Victims Reserve Fund, clarifies the definition of "full amount of the victim's losses" and provides victims with the same rights as criminal defendants in terms of being able to review child pornography evidence to help prepare expert testimony and identify victims.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the U.S. Justice Department.
Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .
