Man pleads guilty to possessing flash drive of child pornography found outside prison in Pittsfield Township
A Cadillac-area man avoided trial this week by pleading guilty to possessing child pornography found on a computer flash drive outside a state prison in Pittsfield Township.
Scott Shewell, 48, pleaded guilty as charged to six counts of possessing child sexually abusive material and one count of using a computer to commit a crime, court records show. He is currently serving time for molesting children in Wexford County.
Scott Shewell
His trial was scheduled to begin in Washtenaw County Circuit Court on Monday. Prosecutors agreed to drop one count of using a computer to commit a crime, which is punishable by up to four years in prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 15.Â
Shewell, of Boone, is already serving between seven and 15 years in prison for two sexual assaults and child pornography possession in Wexford County, prison records show.
Both that case and the Washtenaw County charges stemmed from the discovery of Shewell’s flash drive outside the Huron Valley Women’s Facility in Pittsfield Township last February, authorities said.
Shewell was a contractor hired to complete a remodeling project at the facility and accidentally left the computer device behind, police said. Employees found it, opened it to determine its owner, and immediately contacted police after seeing scores of pornographic photographs of minors, Michigan State Police reports said.
Investigators located individuals from around the country who said they met Shewell as he traveled through national parks and camp sites in his recreation vehicle, said Detective Sgt. Jeff Herweyer of the Michigan State Police Cadillac Post.
Prosecutors authorized charges last March after several of the victims were identified by their photos, police said. Multiple victims reported being molested during their encounters with him.
Last year, he pleaded no contest to two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child under 13, and one count of possessing child sexually abusive material in Wexford County, prison records show. His earliest release date is February 2017.
A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but is treated as such in Michigan courts.
He was staying in the Ann Arbor area while working at the prison, authorities said. No local victims have accused Shewell of wrongdoing.
Art Aisner is a freelance writer for AnnArbor.com. Reach the news desk at news@annarbor.com or 734-623-2530.
Comments
M.
Fri, Feb 12, 2010 : 3:45 p.m.
" Prosecutors agreed to drop one count of using a computer to commit a crime, which is punishable by up to four years in prison" So he pleads down to 7-15 years in the first case involving children who will forever have memories of being molested. Then he gets more charges dropped. THANK YOU "PROSECUTORS"!
Atticus F.
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 3:11 p.m.
Should he be treated the same if he were to murder a child? I realize that he commited a horrible crime, but if all child molesters are treated the same as murderers, than all molesters would simply murder their victims. I do not in any way condone these crimes, however, we need different punishments for different crimes.
RoboLogic
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 3:02 p.m.
How stupid do you have to be to carry this stuff around with you on a jump drive? Especially, a drive without password protection. I think some of these pedo-pervs actually do not believe they are doing anything wrong.
pegret
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 1:35 p.m.
No, you're not alone, darknyt. By the way, an article dated March 2009 stated that at that time this predator was facing "up to life in prison" for the 2 sexual assault charges he is now serving 7-15 for. His victims could still be teenagers when he is released.
djm12652
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 1:21 p.m.
@darknyt, you are not alone in your thinking. Unfortunately, there isn't enough money to keep a predator in jail for life. Although the ironic part is most of the time, they continue this behavior...it's not just a horrendous crime, but a lifestyle. I am all for chemical castration and constant monitoring of these creeps.
darknyt
Wed, Feb 10, 2010 : 11:34 a.m.
This scumbag has committed an act that should be a mandnatory life sentence in prison. The inocent children have to grow up with a horrible memory of a man that in my opinion would never see freedom again. Am I alone thinking this way or what? If it my child he encountered, there would be prison strong eneoph to protect him from me. Just being honest.