Caledonia man faces federal sexual exploitation charges
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A Caledonia man has been charged at the federal level for encouraging minors to produce and share sexually explicit content.
Scott Elam appeared in a federal courtroom Thursday to be arraigned on seven counts of sexual exploitation of four different minors. If convicted, he could be sentenced to anywhere from 15 years to 30 years in prison for each count. He would also have to register as a sex offender.
According to the federal indictment, Elam recorded himself and one minor engaging in sexual acts and also persuaded minors to create pornographic images and send them to him.
Federal charges were authorized because the images were created using a camera and cell phones that were manufactured outside of Michigan, the indictment said.
Deputies: Caledonia man offered teens alcohol for sex
Elam was previously charged in July on five felony charges: aggravated child sexual abuse activity, aggravated distributing/promoting child sexually abusive material, aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material, using a computer to commit a crime and capturing/distributing an image of an unclothed person.
Those charges stemmed from a tip Kent County deputies received saying that a 17-year-old girl had sex with an adult man in exchange for alcohol. Investigators allege Elam used snapchat to communicate with minors and sold alcohol and vape pens to high school girls. He would give them discounts if they sent nude photos, according to court documents.
"We are committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation and holding offenders accountable," wrote U.S. Attorney Mark Totten in a Thursday release. "I am grateful to the Kent County Sheriff's Office and the FBI for their investigative work as we prepare to make our case."
