Camp Counselor Charged With Production, Possession and Receipt of Child Pornography

A 21-year-old West Bloomfield man was charged in a criminal complaint with production, possession and receipt of child pornography, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today. McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Marlon Miller, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) and Police Chief Michael Patton, West Bloomfield Police Department. According to court records, Matthew David Kuppe, a camp counselor at the Jewish Community Center (JCC) day camp, photographed young boys in a locker room setting and posted those photographs on a foreign image sharing website. The photographs depicted the prepubescent boys’ genitalia. Kuppe was arrested on August 12, 2015, and appeared in federal court in Detroit before United States Magistrate Judge R. Steven Whalen on August 13. Kuppe was ordered temporarily detained pending a hearing on August 18, 2015. If convicted of these offenses, Kuppe faces a term of 15-30 years in custody for the production of child pornography charge, up to 20 years in custody for the possession and receipt of child pornography charges. Kuppe was an employee at JCC for the past two summers. McQuade praised the work of the West Bloomfield Police Department and agents of ICE-HSI for their thorough investigation of this case. An information line, e-mail address and website have been established on behalf of the West Bloomfield Police Department, Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Attorney’s Office. Parents and guardians of children who attended the Jewish Community Center (JCC) day camp who would like additional information should send an e-mail to usamie.victimservices@usdoj.gov. Please include your name and contact information in your request. A response to your inquiry, via telephone call and/or e-mail, will be returned to you as quickly as possible. Further information can be obtained from the web page at www.justice.gov/usao-edmi or the information line at 1-888-702-0553 Assistant United States Attorneys Matt Roth and Sara Woodward are prosecuting this case for the United States.