Repeat Offender from Hampden Faces Up to 20 Years in Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material

Press Release

Michael King was also convicted in Kennebec County Superior Court in 2017

BANGOR, Maine: A Hampden man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to possessing child pornography involving a child under 12.

According to court records, in May 2023, investigators from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Maine State Police executed a search warrant at the residence of Michael Knight, 66. In an interview with agents, King admitted to possessing child sexual abuse material and advised the agents they would find his computer under the couch. The laptop was seized, and hundreds of images were recovered.

King faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, followed by five years to life of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. King had previously been convicted in state court in March 2017 of possessing sexually explicit material of a child under 12. The prior conviction may enhance King's sentence in this case.

HSI and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit investigated the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material - in legal terms, "child pornography" - captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims' exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are shared or viewed. File a report with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at https://report.cybertip.org or 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.

Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Department's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.

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Updated October 30, 2024