Department of Justice
United States Attorney Stephanie M. Rose
Norther District of Iowa

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2011

Sibley Man Sentenced to 15 Years on Child Sexual Exploitation Charges
     A man who persuaded a 14 year old girl to send him sexually explicit photos of herself was sentenced March 21, 2011, to 15 years in federal prison.
     Michael Mayer, age 40, of Sibley, Iowa, received the sentence after an October 27, 2010, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of producing child pornography.  The week before trial, Mayer plead guilty to receiving child pornography and possessing child pornography.
     The evidence at trial showed that, between May and August 2008, Mayer communicated online, through phone calls, and through text messages with a 14 year old girl.  Mayer persuaded the victim to send him pictures and videos of her genitals, and he sent the victim pornographic pictures and videos of himself.  Images of the victim were found on Mayer's computer. 
     Mayer was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark, W. Bennett.  Mayer was sentenced to 180 months' imprisonment.  Special assessments of $300 were imposed, and Mayer must also serve a 5 year term of supervised release after the prison term.  He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.  There is no parole in the federal system.
     Mayer is being held in the United States Marshal's custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
     This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, and the Sioux County Sheriff's Office.
     This case was brought as 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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals 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.