(WWJ) An 81-year-old Clarkston man is jailed on child sexual abuse and other charges for crimes that allegedly included editing children's photos into pornography.
James Lawrence Meloche was arraigned in 52nd District Court on Wednesday on three counts of child sexually abusive activity, three counts of using a computer to commit a crime, and three counts of possession of child sexually abusive activity.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, Meloche was arrested at an Independence Township business on Tuesday following a "lengthy investigation" by detectives and the Sheriff’s Office Computer Crimes Unit.
The investigation began back on on Oct. 11, 2023, when a stack of papers belonging to Meloche was discovered the day after a meeting of the Village of Clarkston Historic District Commission, which Meloche headed up as president at the time.
According to a news release by the OCSO: "The papers included extra copies of the meeting agenda, personal emails with Meloche’s name on them and several pornographic images or materials. The images were sexual in nature and included images of children."
Deputies with a warrant searched Meloche's home, confiscating his cell phone, computers, CDs, a camera, "multiple sheets of homemade pornography," and other items.
Over the course of many months, officials said investigators sifted through Meloche's images and devices, uncovering more than a thousand images in which pictures of kids were superimposed on a pornographic image, some with sexually explicit captions or graphic drawings.
“Anything involving child sexually abusive activity we take extremely seriously and fully investigate to hold the responsible person accountable to the full extent of the law,” Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said.
The sheriff's office said three minor victims have been identified.
As of Wednesday, Meloche remained held on a $100,000 bond in the Oakland County Jail.