Possession of child pornography charges after storage unit opened

Many of our Ann Arbor readers are probably familiar with the popular "Storage Wars" reality shows on television, where people bid on storage units whose owners have failed to make the required monthly payments. These people buy the storage units hoping to find valuable property within, but many times the contents are useless. One storage unit that was recently purchased in Ypsilanti, however, contained quite a surprise for the man who bought it - and led to his arrest as well as the arrest of the original owner.

According to the reports, the 30-year-old man who bought the storage unit found evidence of the former owner's possession of child pornography. Had the man reported the discovery to police the subsequent investigation would most likely have focused on finding the original owner of the unit - but the man reportedly did not notify the authorities. When the police tracked him down after others reported the find to them, the man was arrested on sex crime charges, including possession of child pornography.

The authorities continued their investigation, which recently led to the arrest of the unit's original owner as well. That man, a 53-year-old Ypsilanti Township resident, is now also facing sex crime charges connected to the storage unit, as well as additional charges because the authorities allegedly found more evidence of child pornography at the man's home when he was arrested.

The allegations against these two men are very serious. Not only will both of them face long-term damage in both their personal lives as well as their professional lives, they may also face the prospect of being required to list their names on the sex offender registry. That alone is a serious consequence, not to mention the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence.

If you or a loved one has been charged with a sex crime, and want the help of local, experienced and dedicated attorney who specializes in criminal defense in Washtenaw County, please call Dan and his team at GLG Michigan. 

Source: Ann Arbor.com, "Police arrest former renter of storage unit where child porn was found," Kyle Feldscher, July 23, 2013