Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
A Houghton man is facing charges related to the possession of child pornography.
28-year-old Gary Richard Gagnier is accused of uploading child sexually abusive material from his residence since June of last year.
He was arrested on Wednesday, September 12th following an investigation led by the Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
They were assisted by officers from Michigan Tech, the Houghton County Sheriff’s Department and the city of Houghton Police Department.
Gagnier has been charged with two counts of possession of child sexually abusive material and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime.
He was arraigned Friday and bond has been set at $25,000 cash.
Each count of possession of child sexually abusive material carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison and/or $10,000 fine.
Each count of using a computer to commit a crime carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison and/or $5,000 fine.
The MSP CCU encourages parents to speak to their children about the safe use of the internet. There are many resources available to parents to assist in keeping children safe online. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides a comprehensive list of resources on their website at http;//www.missingkids.org/cybertipline.
