BENTON, Ill. – A man from Illinois was sentenced for allegedly sexually victimizing over two dozen underage girls across the country, including in Southern Oregon.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said in May of 2020, a Rogue Valley mother told investigators her minor daughter was coerced into sending nude images to an unknown suspect via Facebook.
Detectives said they eventually determined the local girl wasn’t the suspect’s only victim. There were reportedly at least 29 other minor child victims throughout the United States and Canada.
The suspect, identified as then-43-year-old Michael Anthony Ferris of Mill Shoals, Illinois, was already incarcerated in Illinois for numerous charges. These included extortion, distribution of child pornography, and cyberstalking.
Ferris reportedly used a number of different names on Facebook and Facebook Messenger including “Sammy Gray” and “Sarah Mansfield.”
In November 2022, Ferris was convicted on 25 felony counts of extortion, cyberstalking, and production, distribution, and possession of child pornography.
On April 17, 2023, Ferris was sentenced to 75 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
“Combating child exploitation is a team effort and requires cooperation at the federal, state and local levels,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Sean Fitzgerald. “The efforts to bring this individual to justice have resulted in one less predator on the streets who would look to victimize our children and endanger our communities.”
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.