June 25, 2004

LANSING - On June 24, the Michigan State Police (MSP) Computer Crimes Unit and the Michigan Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) in cooperation with the Lansing Police Department and the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office, arrested a Lansing man on felony charges for using the Internet for purposes of child exploitation and child solicitation.

A Lansing Police Department detective assigned to the ICAC task force began the investigation of the online solicitation of a 13-year-old on Sept. 29, 2003. The investigators learned a 29-year-old Lansing man arranged a meeting with the child after the child had been solicited while using the Internet. The arrest was the result of a cooperative investigation conducted by members of the MSP Computer Crimes Unit, the Lansing Police Department’s Special Operations Division, and the ICAC task force with includes officers from Lansing Police Department, Lansing Community College Police Department and MSP.

The suspect was lodged at the Lansing City Jail and will face charges by the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office.

On June 23, the ICAC task force arrested another Lansing man on the same charges following a separate investigation.

The success of both investigations relied upon the cooperative effort of the mid Michigan law enforcement officials including the Ingham County Prosecutor’s office. The ability to work together is extremely important in investigating crimes involving the Internet because jurisdictional boundaries are continually crossed.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Detective Ron Seyka, MSP Computer Crimes Unit, Lansing ICAC Task Force, (517) 336-2024

Detective Sergeant Jay Poupard, MSP Computer Crimes Unit, Online Investigations, (517) 336-2012

Detective Lieutenant Tim Lee, MSP Computer Crimes Unit, Unit Commander, (517) 336-6444