Lowell man gets nearly 20 years for child porn

A federal judge sentenced a Lowell man to nearly 20 years for sending child porn to an undercover police officer.

Tyler M. Thompson, 34, pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography, according to a release from U.S. Attorney Clifford Johnson.

He was also ordered to spend 10 years on probation after his release. Investigators found 200 photos and 100 videos.

Thompson was caught up in an undercover sting by the FBI’s Milwaukee office. An undercover officer with the Winnebago County Sheriff ’s Office reported Thompson messaged him on the Kik app promising child porn, according to court filings.

They tipped the FBI’s Gang Response Investigative Team (GRIT) in Merrillville that there was a potential victim in danger of sexual abuse. They opened their case on Dec. 10, 2021.

Thompson allegedly sent photos and videos showing young victims performing sex acts with adult men to the undercover agent, according to records.

The FBI’s GRIT team executed a search warrant on Dec. 10, 2021, seizing items including an iPhone and tablet.

Thompson admitted to investigators he had sent out child porn to “random” people in Kik. He claimed he got the porn from others online in Kik chats and saved it to his phone.

Thompson claimed he only made videos with an adult woman, but sent without her consent.

He continued to send child pornography in a Kik chat group #ForbiddenFruitsss with a different user name and was later discovered by FBI agents in Miami in March 2022.

An investigator went back to Thompson’s house on Apr. 1, 2022, but he wasn’t home. Thompson called the agent, who asked if he was still sending out child porn.

“Yes, sir,” he replied. Thompson claimed he didn’t have any more child porn. He promised to come in for an interview, but never showed, according to records.