27-year-old Michael Whitmore of Anchorage was indicted on charges of possession and distribution of child pornography. He was arrested by the FBI on March 10, 2021.
The indictment alleges that around March 3rd, Whitmore was observed by Australian law enforcement distributing child pornography images on the WICKR social media application. The images allegedly contained prepubescent minors (or minors who have not attained 12 years of age). Australian Law Enforcement notified the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force who initiated an investigation, which allegedly linked Whitmore through his username and associated information that led to the identification of Whitmore.
On March 10th, the FBI executed a federal search warrant, which disclosed Whitmore possessed and accessed child pornography, including images involving prepubescent minors.
If convicted, Whitmore faces a statutory minimum of five years in prison and guideline sentence of more than 20 years in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history. The FBI conducted the investigation leading to an indictment in the case. The case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.
If the public has any further information regarding Whitmore, contact Anchorage FBI at (907) 276 – 4441.