LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) — A Prospect man was arrested on Oct. 22 on nearly 30 child pornography-related charges after authorities said he allegedly shared child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online through the Kik app.
Michael David Booth, 39, known on YouTube as “Mr. Crafty Pants,” has over 594,000 subscribers, according to Louisville’s FOX affiliate, WDRB.
Court documents from the office of Kentucky’s attorney general show that a tip had been sent to law enforcement reporting that files containing illicit material involving children were allegedly being sent from Booth’s Kik account between Aug. 5 and Aug. 7.
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Investigators wrote that a search warrant carried out on the suspect’s Kik account returned two “selfie-type” photos of Booth, allegedly indicating that he was running the account.
An arrest citation alleges that Booth sent files of children under age 12 to Kik users “on at least 10 occasions,” and sent files of children over age 12 but under age 18 to other users “on at least 15 occasions.”
He was arrested on Wednesday and charged with:
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10 counts of distributing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor under age 12
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15 counts of distributing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor over age 12 but under age 18
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Three counts of possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor under 12
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Possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor over age 12 but under age 18 – first offense
WDRB reported that the arrest shook a normally quiet Prospect neighborhood. Laura Nash, who lives across the street, said police were at Booth’s home for several hours, with multiple marked and unmarked vehicles on the street.
“So we walked out our front door on Wednesday to a very heavy police presence,” Nash said. “My heart dropped. Felt sick to my stomach. It was gut-wrenching and eye-opening.”
A Halloween sign in Booth’s front yard reading, “I smell children,” drew additional concern from residents. Neighbor Lindsay Smart said the arrest was a stark reminder that appearances can be deceiving.
“You feel like you know your neighbors, but what goes on behind closed doors… I guess we never know,” Smart said. “It’s sickening, it’s disgusting, and I’m glad he got caught.”
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Court records show that Booth appeared in Jefferson County District Court on Thursday. WDRB wrote that he entered a plea of not guilty on all charges.
Authorities noted that the court ordered Booth not to have any contact with children or access to the internet or social media.
According to his YouTube channel, Booth’s last video was published over four months ago.
He was lodged in the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections on a $100,000 cash bond. He’ll appear in court on Friday, Oct. 31, for a preliminary hearing.
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