(WWJ) — A probationary officer in Mid-Michigan has been arrested for allegedly possessing child sexually abusive material.
The Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced Friday 38-year-old Alexander Stachura of Williamston has been charged with three counts each of possession of child sexually abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime.
Stachura was arraigned Wednesday. The Meridian Township Police Department released a statement Friday afternoon saying it learned of the investigation in late October. Meridian Twp. is just east of East Lansing, encompassing Okemos and Haslett.
“Following our standard protocol, Mr. Stachura was immediately placed on paid administrative leave. His access to Township-owned materials, facilities, and equipment was removed pending the investigation,” the department said.
The department “concluded his employment” after learning of the charges on Dec. 10, officials said.
MSP officials said Stachura’s arrest was the result of an investigation that began when a community member contacted MSP with a tip. Authorities then searched Stachura’s home and seized digital evidence.
Authorities did not release any details about the alleged crimes, including the ages of the alleged victims or if he knew them.
If convicted, Stachura faces up to four years in prison for each count of possession of child sexually abusive material.
Meridian Twp. police officials said “we respect the criminal justice process and its presumption of innocence until proven guilty, we recognize a resolution is unlikely to be reached quickly.”
“This strains our department’s staff as they fill in for the absent probationary officer, who cannot reasonably fulfill his duties while the criminal justice process unfolds. For this reason, we concluded his employment on December 10,” the department’s statement said.
The MSP Computer Crimes Unit encourages parents to speak to their children and family members about safe use of the internet. There are many resources available to assist in keeping people safe online. The Michigan ICAC Task Force provides a comprehensive list of resources on their website at http://michiganicac.com.
Anyone who has information regarding possible child sexual exploitation should report it to the CyberTipline at http://missingkids.org/cybertipline.