GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A convicted sex offender released from prison last year is back behind bars, accused of distributing pornographic videos and images of children.
Titles in Shaun Philip Vanwyk’s collection included ‘girls 0 to 5 having sex with men’ and ‘Pedo Baby,’ federal court records show.
Vanwyk, 40, is charged with possession of child pornography and two counts of distribution of child pornography.
According to a federal indictment, he distributed videos and images via peer-to-peer software installed on his cellphone. The offenses occurred between early June and late July. Police seized three cellphones as part of the investigation.
Vanwyk was arraigned earlier this week in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids. His next court hearing is set for November. The most serious charge, distribution of child pornography, is punishable by 15-40 years in prison.
He was initially charged in Grand Rapids District Court with five felony offenses, including aggravated child sexually abusive activity – second offense, stemming from the same investigation.
The charges allege that Vanwyk produced or made copies of more than 100 images of child pornography. Investigators have identified nine child victims from the images Vanwyk downloaded, court records show.
The most serious state charge against Vanwyk is punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
Vanwyk was living on Gold Avenue SW at the time of his arrest. He joined Michigan’s sex offender registry in March of 2017 following a conviction for promoting-distributing child sexually abusive material.
In that case, investigators say Vanwyk downloaded child pornography on his cellphone. A Kent County judge sentenced him to between 14 months and 7 years in prison. Vanwyk was paroled on Oct. 4, 2018.
Andrew Birge, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, said child pornography cases often involve victims whose images can remain in circulation for many years.
“The images are out there and continue to be shared and bought and sold over the internet,’’ Birge said. “Every time you are doing that, you’re exploiting that child, that person, all over again.’’
Ongoing circulation of child porn, he said, is “compounding the original harm.’’
“It’s very difficult to scrub something off the internet once it’s up there,’’ Birge said.
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