Anchorage Man Charged With Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Michael John Collier, 32, of Anchorage, charging him with one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.  Collier is in custody and is currently awaiting to be arraigned before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on these charges.

The indictment alleges that in February 2018, Collier knowingly distributed, by means and facility of interstate and foreign commerce, visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. It is further alleged that, on March 28, 2018, Collier knowingly possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, located on multiple computer or digital devices.  According to the indictment, the visual depictions of such conduct were of minors under the age of 12.  

If the public has any further information or concerns about the activities of Collier, please contact the Anchorage Police Department at (907) 786-2677. 

If convicted, Collier faces a statutory minimum of five years in prison and guideline sentence of the statuary maximum of 40 years in prison, for the most serious charges alleged in the indictment.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. 

The Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.  The Alaska Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is made up of local, state, and federal agencies who develop effective responses to cyber enticement and child sexual exploitation cases.  This support encompasses forensic and investigative components, training and technical assistance, victim services, prevention and community education.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.

The investigation is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by  U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.