Grandville man pleads guilty to child pornography charges

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

The man, who is scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks, is expected to face a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison.

“Protecting children and youth 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 himself engaging in sexually explicit activities with a minor female under the age of 18 and specifically depicting her private areas without her knowledge or consent.

Hungerford made the recording on his iPhone and saved it to a removable storage device. On May 24, Hungerford was indicted on a misdemeanor count of distribution of child pornography following a federal search warrant obtained the same day.

He has been detained since his arrest.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this incident.