Man who allegedly traded alcohol for sex, teens’ nude photos faces federal charges

KENT COUNTY, MI – A Caledonia man accused of providing alcohol and vape pens to teens for sex and nude images or videos has been indicted on seven federal charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.

Scott Michael Elam, 42, was arrested on state charges in July.

The federal indictment, unsealed Thursday, Nov. 7, alleged that Elam twice used a Blink security camera to record himself having sex with a teen girl. He allegedly saved the recordings to his cellphone.

Three other girls allegedly recorded themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct and sent images or videos to Elam via social media, the indictment said.

The charges carry penalties of at least 15 years in prison, and up to 30, upon conviction.

"We are committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation and holding offenders accountable," U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said in a statement.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Berens on Thursday ordered Elam held pending a detention hearing Friday afternoon in federal court in Grand Rapids.

Kent County sheriff's detectives used search warrants on Elam's residence and cellphone, as well as internet-based companies, including Yahoo, Google and Amazon and cash applications.

Police reports from the sheriff's investigation are listed as evidence in the federal case. The incidents allegedly occurred between March and June. Elam communicated with girls in West Michigan, including Byron Center, Caledonia, Forest Hills and Lowell, police said.

Records showed that most of the alleged crimes occurred in Kent County but Allegan and Barry counties were listed, too.

"During the same period of time charged in the indictment, Defendant convinced other minors (not associated with the charged counts) to produce and send him explicit pictures and videos in exchange for alcohol and other items," Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Kay Ghiselli wrote in court documents.

Kent County court records showed that sheriff's detectives talked to a 17-year-old girl who had sex with Elam multiple times. Elam allegedly told her he recorded their encounters and sent her some of the recordings.

"Scott used a Blink camera that was located in his bedroom to record the sexual acts and even admitted to (the teen) that he has many other videos of having sex with high-school aged girls saved on his phone in a separate folder," a sheriff's deputy wrote in a probable-cause affidavit.

The 17-year-old told police that Elam "sells to 'everyone' at the high schools in the area and that Scott would give discounts to females if they sent him nude photos or videos," the affidavit said.

"The alleged sexual exploitation of four minors by Mr. Elam is appalling ... , said Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan.

James Fisher, an assistant federal public defender assigned the case, declined to comment.