Rape images, racist chats: Evidence against ex-Smyrna detective facing child porn charges

A former Smyrna Police detective who is facing federal child pornography charges was captured on social media describing his love of rape, as well as using vulgar and racist language when referring to girls and women, according to federal court documents.

The documents, obtained by Delaware Online/The News Journal, detail conversations found on Michael Anthony Kealty's social media account, including one in November in which he offered someone on social media pictures of young girls from a football game where he was working overtime. The court documents also reveal a sexually charged conversation the 33-year-old had with a 16-year-old girl on his Snapchat account — an instant messaging app whose pictures and messages are only available for up to 24 hours.

"I'd rape that slutty [racial slur] like my ancestors did in NC back when America was great," was one of the quotes attributed to Kealty in court documents.

Kealty's Snapchat account, according to court documents, was found on two smartphones: his personal iPhone and his work iPhone.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday morning that Kealty was facing a charge of distribution and possession of child pornography.

Smyrna Police Lt. Brian Donner said the department was "shocked and appalled" when reading the federal charging document filed against Kealty. After seven years with the Smyrna department, Donner said Tuesday that Kealty was fired after they were made aware of the charges.

"We learned of these details when the public did and are still processing them," Donner said. "There were certainly never any signs of bias or bigotry during his employment."

The Smyrna Police Department fully cooperated with federal authorities in their investigation, at which time Kealty was "stripped of all police powers and suspended from duty," Donner said.

Smyrna police Chief Torrie M. James issued a statement late Tuesday explaining how his department fully cooperated with federal authorities in their investigation.

"After receiving the full details of the investigation for the first time, Michael Kealty was immediately terminated from employment at Smyrna PD," James said in his statement. "His actions do not reflect the values of myself, my officers, or the profession of law enforcement. Nor do they conform to the mission statement of the Smyrna Police Department."

James added he is "saddened, heartbroken, disappointed, and downright appalled by these allegations."

"The fact that one of my own officers has tarnished the reputation of our town and department is sickening," he said.

Kealty's preliminary and detention hearings are scheduled for Thursday afternoon at U.S. District Court in Wilmington.

How the FBI found out

The FBI received a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children last month telling them about an Aug. 7 report from Snapchat that said one of its users, "jasonkyle221," was in possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The FBI said it was a prepubescent girl engaging in a sex act.

"The girl’s face is clearly visible and thus I was able to recognize the girl as a known victim of CSAM offenses," FBI Special Agent Susan Ambridge Paris said in court documents.

Paris was able to obtain the IP address linked to jasonkyle221 and learned it belonged to Kealty, at the time a Smyrna police corporal detective and Air Force reserves staff sergeant.

Paris obtained warrants on Sept. 22 to search Kealty, his property and vehicles. Before Kealty invoked his right to an attorney, court documents say the officer confirmed he and his wife were the only people with access to his home internet network.

"Kealty stated some of his family and friends may have access to his home internet network but could not name any specific individuals," the court documents say.

Snapchat account searched

After obtaining a warrant, the FBI searched Kealty's Snapchat account − accessed from both his personal and work phones − and found various selfies of Kealty.

The FBI was also able to confirm the child sexual abuse material that prompted the tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

In addition, the special agent found a child abuse image Kealty sent on Aug. 7 to another user depicting a prepubescent female lying face down across a man's lap. The girl is completely nude, except for the American flag socks on her feet. The male, who is also nude, is raping the girl with his hand in the image.

"In sending the picture, Kealty asks the user, 'You good with these kinds pics,' to which the user replies, 'What you think. We into the same shit,' " according to court documents, which said Kealty replied: "Haha just making sure."

Interest in 14- to 16-year-old girls

The Snapchat search also revealed conversations between Kealty and others, in which court documents say the former police detective expressed sexual interest in girls ages 14 to 16.

In an example provided in the court document, Kealty is said to have carried on a conversation with another person in which Kealty asks: "Weird question How yng is too yng for you? Like how young are you into?"

In this November 2022 conversation, court documents claim Kealty said he has a thing for younger girls, adding:

• "I'm working a high school football game as OT was going to see if ya wanted me to try and sneak ya some pics lol."

• "Won’t be nothing crazy but maybe some cute asses."

While Kealty told the other person he never had sex or touched a high school girl, court documents quote him saying he has "100% flirt."

"These girls are such flirts and I'm not an ugly dude and not too old so I def think I could get a few but it's so so so risky!!!" court documents said Kealty responded.

Sexual conversation with 16-year-old girl

The FBI also found conversations they say Kealty had with a 16-year-old girl from April 2021 to October 2021.

The snippets the FBI provided in the court documents claim to show Kealty asking the girl various questions of a sexual nature, including asking her to send him pictures of her breast, vagina and whether a third person would be into watching him have sex with the girl.

When the girl said she was uncomfortable sending him pictures of her body, court documents said Kealty told her: "Then show me some pics of friends or your sister or someone since you don't want me to [expletive] to pics of you like I want to."

When the girl told him she was a virgin, court documents said Kealty asked where she lived so he could "come change" that.

Toward the end of the snippets, court documents show that Kealty was calling himself "daddy," as was the girl.

Kealty, according to court documents, told the girl not to tell anyone about their conversations.

Racist, vulgar language

The search through his Snapchat account also found disturbing language that the FBI said indicated he "loves" rape and used racist and vulgar language when referring to women and girls.

In the three examples the FBI provided, Kealty uses degrading language about Black and Latina women. He also referred to how his ancestors would rape people.

Separate excessive force lawsuit

Kealty is one of three Smyrna police officers who were named in a lawsuit filed last year by Nelson Henry.

The lawsuit, also filed in federal court, claims Kealty was among several Smyrna officers who responded to a domestic disturbance in the town of about 13,500 people on April 28, 2020. The disturbance was between Henry and the mother of his children.

The officers separated Henry and the mother of his children to speak to each of them, according to the lawsuit.

Officers, according to the lawsuit, decided not to arrest anyone but asked Henry to leave the residence for the night.

Henry was outside the residence and was trying to call his mother to pick him up, according to the lawsuit. The mother, who was recovering from surgery, was unable to pick Henry up, the suit claims.

When Henry told officers about his predicament, several officers tried to book him a hotel room and even worked to raise the money since he did not have enough to pay for a room. That's when another officer arrived and demanded that Henry call his mother and leave.

Henry, according to the lawsuit, called his mother and asked if someone could pick him up, adding the policeman who had just arrived was an "officer [expletive]."

That officer immediately tackled Henry to the ground, injuring him in the process, the lawsuit claims.

That's when the lawsuit said Kealty placed his knee on Henry's neck. Henry was face down at the time, "reminiscent of how George Floyd was killed in police custody," according to the lawsuit.

Henry was taken to the Smyrna Police Department where the lawsuit said he was charged with six charges, including endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest and offensive touching.

This, the lawsuit claims, was in retaliation for using an obscenity to describe the officer.

Henry's lawsuit claims he was deprived of his Constitutional rights, including to be free from excessive use of force and to be afforded due process and equal protection. The lawsuit, which also claims he was assaulted by Kealty and two other officers, seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages and attorney fees among other things.

Reporter Xerxes Wilson contributed to this report.

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Ex-Smyrna detective found with child porn 'loves' rape: court docs