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Press Release

Man Collected Thousands of Images of Child Sexual Abuse

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Virginia

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man pleaded guilty today to receipt of images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

According to court documents, undercover law enforcement officers found Michael Amit, 30, sharing images of child abuse using peer-to-peer file-sharing technology. During the execution of a search warrant at Amit’s residence in Chesapeake, law enforcement found and seized numerous items of electronic media. A forensic analysis found that Amit had collected thousands of images and videos depicting minors being sexually abused. At that time, Amit was employed by Old Dominion University in Information Technology Services.

Amit pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on June 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Tracy Doherty-McCormick, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and Col. K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-25.

Contact

Joshua Stueve
Director of Communications
joshua.stueve@usdoj.gov

Updated March 20, 2018

Topic
Project Safe Childhood