Groveland Twp.-Township resident Melvin Lesperance, 41, was arraigned Monday at 52-2 District Court on two counts of Using a Computer to Commit a Crime, each count a seven-year felony, two counts of Child Sexually Abusive Activity’Distributing or Promoting, each count a seven-year felony, and three counts of Child Sexually Abusive Material, each count a four-year felony.
According to a report from the Michigan State Police, Metro North/Groveland Satellite, the suspect’s township home was under surveillance after a Decatur, Ill. police department detective, investigating internet crimes against children, notified troopers that Lesperance was getting ready to transmit child pornography over the internet.
Detective-Sgt. Gary Muir, Michigan State Police, Metro North Groveland Satellite, said the arrest was made in a home near Dixie Highway,
‘The suspect had no other prior convections,? said Muir. ‘He was a one man operation. An internet task force looking for predators online in Decatur caught up with the suspect. Thankfully, some of the things he was talking about in the chat room were not true.?
Shortly after a computer was delivered to the residence, the suspect transmitted videos of child pornography to the detective in Decatur. Troopers from Groveland made contact at the suspect’s residence and seized two computers. A forensic analysis was completed on the computers and videos of child pornography were discovered, but the investigation cleared the suspect of molesting children.