GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.-- U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan announced that Thomas Aaron Hungerford, 54, of Grandville, pleaded guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Child.

He is scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks and faces a minimum prison term of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years.

“Protecting children and teenagers from sexual exploitation is a critical part of our mission,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten.

On August 16, 2023, while in Grandville, Hungerford recorded a minor female under the age of 18 engaged in sexually explicit activity, and specifically depicting her private areas, without her knowledge or consent.

Hungerford made the recording on his iPhone and saved it on a removable storage device. On May 24, Hungerford was charged by criminal complaint with distribution of child pornography following a federal search warrant that same day.

He has been held in custody since his arrest.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case.