Man pleads guilty to possessing flash drive of child pornography found outside prison in Pittsfield Township

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. 

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.