PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A 47-year-old Pittsfield Township man was sentenced Wednesday to 30 years in prison on charges of production of child pornography and receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider said.
The investigation of this case began one year ago, when members of CREW, a task force made up of law enforcement officers with Homeland Security Investigations, the University of Michigan Police Department and the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, working in conjunction with the Ann Arbor and Pittsfield police departments, conducted a search warrant after receiving a complaint that Terry LeClerc had sexually assaulted a cognitively impaired individual.
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According to court records, investigators forensically examined images on LeClerc’s telephone and discovered that he had taken sexually explicit photographs of an 11 year-old girl while she was asleep.
LeClerc later admitted that he took the photos, officials said. LeClerc was charged concurrently by the state of Michigan with criminal sexual conduct involving a minor and is scheduled to be sentenced in that case later this month.
"The images found on the defendant’s cellphone are not merely pictures but are a permanent record of sexual abuse and exploitation of children," Schneider said. "I commend the work of HSI and CREW for their dedication to investigating crimes against children."
LeClerc was also ordered to pay a total of $23,800 in restitution.
"LeClerc was found guilty of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl and will now be incarcerated for his heinous acts," Steve Francis, special agent in charge of HSI Detroit, said. "Homeland Security Investigations is committed to bringing to justice those who sexually exploit children, and this case exemplifies the long reach of HSI and its ability to coordinate with its law enforcement partners in investigative efforts."