Michigan man reoffends

Dexter man sentenced to 10 years in prison for child porn

Posted by News Staff The Ann Arbor News June 16, 2008 16:34PM
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A Dexter man previously convicted of molesting a young relative was ordered to prison for 10 years Monday after authorities found child pornography on his computer, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

Thomas Vanbuhler, 60, pleaded guilty last August to one felony count of possession of child pornography. At that hearing, officials said Vanbuhler admitted he had been receiving child pornography through the Internet since at least 2003.

The case was prosecuted under the federal Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, federal agents searched Vanbuhler's home and discovered 109 images of child pornography and 134 images of child erotica, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

In 2003, Vanbuhler was convicted in Wayne County of fondling a young female relative during a party. He was sentenced to probation, and accused of violating probation by groping another young relative, officials said.

When Vanbuhler is released from prison, he will serve five years on supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.


What is ridiculous is the man was only charged with one count of child porn. He had over 100 images! This was not something done by "accident". He has revictimized over 100 children, but since the NCMEC can only validate one child as "real" that is all he gets charged for. The law for child porn has to be changed. Unidentified victims of child porn should also be counted.