Man Gets 30 Years In Child Porn Case Involving Kids From Mom's Daycare
GRAND RAPIDS (WWJ/AP) - A west Michigan man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for taking sexually explicit photos and videos of children as young as 2 at his mother's day care center.
Twenty-three-year-old Travis Stiehl, of Lowell, received the maximum penalty earlier this week after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child. He will be on supervised release for life once his prison term ends.
U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney called Stiehl a "major threat" to children during the sentencing. He had more than 2,000 images of child pornography on a hard drive, the government has said.
Authorities say Stiehl produced the child pornography at a Lowell home where his mother ran a day care. Her license has since been revoked.
The defense said Stiehl hasn't been in trouble before and has many good qualities. His attorneys sought a lesser sentence.
MORE: West Michigan Woman Says Son Charged In Porn Case Wouldn't Hurt Daycare Kids
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