Kalamazoo Man Gets 27 Years For Producing Child Pornography

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced that Anthony Donal Short, 39, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 27 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for coercing and using a minor to produce child pornography. U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney also imposed a period of supervised release of 8 years to follow his incarceration.

          In sentencing Short, Judge Maloney stated that he was troubled by Short’s abuse and exploitation of a child in his care and the betrayal of trust. Short came to the attention of law enforcement after the victim reported to law enforcement that she had been sexually molested by Short while they were living in Alaska. The FBI confronted Short and he admitted to taking sexually explicit images of the victim. Forensic examination of his computers and cell phones confirmed the crimes. In October 2019, Short pleaded guilty to producing child pornography of the child in January and March 2013, when she was 10 years old, and producing more pornographic images of the child in February 2015, when she was 12.

          In announcing the sentence, Birge stated, "Short betrayed the fundamental trust of a child and used her for his own depraved purposes. We will always hold producers of child pornography accountable and seek justice on behalf of the victims."

          This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC), federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement are working closely together to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children. The partners in Project Safe Childhood work to educate local communities about the dangers of online child exploitation, and to teach children how to protect themselves. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit the following web site: www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Individuals with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement officials.

          This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru and investigated by the FBI.