LANSING, Mich. – A Lansing man has been sentenced to decades in prison after he manipulated a minor girl into sending him sexually explicit photos and videos, officials said.
Michael McShan, 28, of Lansing, met a minor girl in December 2018 while using a social media site called “MeetMe,” federal officials said. McShan then communicated with the girl over Snapchat, phone calls and texts, according to authorities.
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“McShan quickly began an abusive and sexual relationship with (the girl),” a release from the U.S. Department of Justice says. “McShan enticed and persuaded (her) to produce images and videos of herself and another minor female victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct.”
Over the course of multiple months, McShan became even more controlling over the girl, according to officials. He used flattery, threats and guilt to manipulate her into sending him more sexually explicit photos and videos, as well as money, authorities said.
He also directed his then-girlfriend to write a false confession to the child exploitation crimes in an attempt to get released on bond before the trial, officials said.
Conviction, sentence
A five-day trial began Oct. 28, 2021, in Detroit. The jury deliberated for about an hour before returning the guilty verdicts, officials said.
McShan was convicted on charges of child pornography, attempted production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, coercion and enticement of a minor, and obstruction of justice.
He was sentenced Wednesday (March 16) to 300 months (25 years) in federal prison. McShan will then be on supervised release for the rest of his life, officials said.
“Protecting children from dangerous child predators is a top priority for our office,” U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said. “I commend our law enforcement partners for their hard work and dedication to investigating and prosecuting crimes against children.”
“McShan’s horrific acts underscore the importance of talking with your children about the dangers of interacting with people they don’t know online,” said HSI Detroit acting special agent in charge James C. Harris III. “Our agents, along with our Border Patrol and DHS partners, remain committed to bringing predators like McShan to justice, and providing care and support to the victims of these crimes.”
“I’m immensely proud of the collaborative effort between Border Patrol agents and HSI agents that led to the conviction of this man who committed heinous crimes,” said R. Alan Booth, a chief patrol agent for the Detroit sector of Border Patrol. “Our mission encompasses many factors, but protecting the communities we live in is always our priority.”