WASHINGTON TWP., Pa. (EYT) – A Brookville man is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly soliciting explicit photos from a 12-year-old boy.
Court documents indicate the DuBois-based State Police filed the following criminal charges against 19-year-old Michael Frances Little, of Brookville, on Saturday, June 23:
– Photograph/Film/Depict on Computer Sex Act – Knowingly or Permitting Child, Felony 2 (two counts)
– Disseminate Photo/Film of Child Sex Acts, Felony 3 (two counts)
– Criminal Use Of Communication Facility, Felony 3
– Corruption of Minors, Misdemeanor 1
Unable to post $50,000.00 monetary bail, he was lodged in the Jefferson County Jail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 2, with Magisterial District Judge David B. Inzana presiding.
Details of the case
According to a criminal complaint, around 10:44 p.m. on April 14, a known 12-year-old boy received inappropriate text messages while visiting with his mother. The victim’s mother told him to delete the person who sent them from his phone and block him from everything – which the victim did.
The victim’s legal guardian had “Family Link” installed on both of their phones to monitor the victim’s phone, and he discovered the text messages on the morning of April 15. He felt the messages were inappropriate. As a mandated reporter, he contacted Child Line.
Around 12:16 p.m. on April 23, Trooper Buffone interviewed the victim, who was accompanied by his legal guardian.
The victim related that the text messages were from Michael Little who was, at the time, 18 years old.
Following the interview, the victim and his guardian agreed to give state police the LG cell phone, and the victim also signed a consent to search form while supervised by his guardian. A second interview was attempted with the victim on June 19 at Western PA Cares for Kids, but the victim declined to be interviewed.
On June 23, Trooper Buffone interviewed Michael Little at PSP DuBois.
According to the complaint, when he was asked Little if he knew why he was being interviewed, he said “I have a pretty good idea. I sent an exceptionally explicit message to (a known boy),” who he clarified to be the known victim.
Little stated that he had been drinking that night and said he hadn’t spoken to the victim since that time, other than once when the victim called him from a different phone number. Little said he told the victim he probably should not contact him, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Little also stated, “I made a really bad mistake, and I wish I would not have sent it.”
When Trooper Buffone asked Little what his intentions were when he sent the message, Little said “a photo,” and when asked what kind of photo, he said, “an explicit photo” and clarified – “pornography,” the complaint indicates.
Based on the investigation, Little was arraigned at 3:30 pm on Saturday, June 23, in Judge Inzana’s office.
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