60-Year-Old Constantine Man Gets 15 Years For Child Porn

A man from St. Joseph County has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography crimes.

The Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force announced on Monday that 60-year-old Paul Halcolmb of Constantine had pleaded guilty to charges of distribution of child pornography in April; last week, he was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Halcomb came under scrutiny after evidence was discovered that showed someone was downloading and sharing videos and images of child sexually abusive material; the suspects identity was uncovered, and his residence was searched, finding more evidence.

Federal child porn distribution law allows for a sentence of between 5 and 20 years in prison for a first offence. It also doesn't prevent someone from being prosecuted on the state level.

The Michigan State Computer Crimes Unit says they:

encourages parents to speak to their children about the safe use of the internet. The Michigan ICAC taskforce provides resources to parents to assist in keeping children safe online at http://michiganicac.com. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also provides a comprehensive list of resources on their website at http://www.missingkids.org.