GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Vicksburg man has been sentenced to spend 25 years behind bars for reportedly exploiting minors and producing child pornography.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office – Western District of Michigan says 47-year-old Virgil Chandler Knowles III was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.
The sentencing comes after the FBI raided a home last summer, leading to Knowles’s arrest.
READ MORE: FBI raids Kalamazoo Co. home, 2 arrested for child sex crimes
“My office is committed to protecting our most vulnerable and holding predators accountable for sexually exploiting our children,” says U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “As soon as an undercover officer identified Mr. Knowles in a secret pedophile chat group, law enforcement moved swiftly to arrest him. To anyone exploiting children the message is clear: We know how to find you and we will hold you accountable.”
The Department of Justice says the sentencing is the culmination of an investigation conducted under Project Safe Childhood.
“Predators who create child pornography victimize children twice – first by sexually assaulting them and again by sharing it with others on the Internet,” says FBI Special Agent James A. Tarasca. “The message sent at sentencing should be clear: Protecting our children from predators is a top priority for the FBI and law enforcement agencies everywhere. We are committed to identifying those who exploit children and bringing them to justice.”
