Calhoun County Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Child
A federal grand jury in the Western District of Michigan indicted Preston on three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. The charges trigger a mandatory minimum 15-year prison sentence if convicted and prompt the U.S. Attorney’s Office to seek additional victims or witnesses.
abcnews.go.comA grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan returned a four-count indictment against a Calhoun County man on June 3, 2026.
Preston faces three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The indictment alleges specific conduct involving the production and possession of child sexual abuse material.
The charges affect any additional victims or witnesses who have not yet come forward. The Department of Justice explicitly encouraged them to contact investigators, expanding the potential scope beyond any single identified minor.
The indictment shifts the case from investigative to criminal prosecution in federal court. A conviction on any of the sexual exploitation counts carries a statutory mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years. The possession count carries up to 10 years. Sentencing guidelines will be calculated only after a trial or guilty plea.
Downstream, the case now requires the defendant to appear in Western District of Michigan federal court for arraignment. Federal prosecutors must disclose evidence under discovery rules within court-set deadlines. The public filing also activates victim-notification obligations under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act.
Additional witnesses or victims who contact law enforcement can trigger further charges or forfeiture actions against any devices or assets used in the alleged offenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan is prosecuting the matter.
This indictment follows standard federal procedure for child-exploitation cases developed after the 2006 Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, which established the 15-year mandatory minimum for production offenses. The Justice Department’s public call for additional victims mirrors language used in similar indictments handled by the Western District of Michigan and other U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide.
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