Au Gres Resident Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal Prison on Production of Child Pornography Charges

BAY CITY – An Au Gres resident was sentenced yesterday to 28 years in federal prison on charges of using a minor to produce visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct and ordered to pay $54,500 in restitution to the victims and $5,100 in special assessment, announced Acting United States Attorney Saima Mohsin.

Mohsin was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Timothy Waters, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.

Sentenced was Christopher Paul Botimer, 59.

Botimer pleaded guilty in December 2020 to one count of using a minor to produce visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct before United States District Judge Thomas Ludington. 

On or about October 6, 2017, while in Arenac County, Michigan, Botimer, a computer network engineer, took sexually explicit photographs of a 2-year-old child in his care. In making some of those photographs, Botimer engaged in sexual contact with the victim. He saved the resulting sexually explicit images on several electronic devices. For several years, well before he began to take sexually explicitly photographs of the victim, Botimer searched for child pornography over the Internet. He repeatedly downloaded sexually explicit images of minor children for his sexual gratification. He then either saved or deleted the child pornography from one of the many digital devices available to him at his home. He also made available some of the images to others through a peer-to-peer network.

“Botimer is a child predator and his conduct was reprehensible.  Today’s lengthy sentence ensures Botimer will no longer be a threat to young children,” said Acting US Attorney Mohsin.  “I commend the agents and prosecutors who worked on this case and hope that this 28-year sentence helps bring some closure to the victim and victim’s family.”

This case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Task Force and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anca Pop and Jaqueline Hotz.

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