TOLEDO, Ohio – A Toledo man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse materials. Michael Aspinwall, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James R. Knepp following his admission to multiple federal offenses, including sexual exploitation of a minor and the receipt and distribution of child pornography.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Aspinwall produced sexually explicit materials involving minors between October 2023 and February 2024. He also distributed and received digital files containing child pornography during this period. The investigation into Aspinwall’s activities began after a search warrant was executed on February 9, 2024, when law enforcement agents seized his phone.
During the search, authorities discovered sexually explicit images and videos of minors, some involving infants and toddlers. The investigation, led by the FBI’s Toledo office in partnership with the Toledo Police Department, revealed further details of Aspinwall’s criminal behavior. Court documents show that Aspinwall admitted to an undercover investigator that he had sexually abused children whom he had babysat while they were asleep.
In addition to his prison sentence, Aspinwall will be required to serve a lifetime of supervised release after his release from incarceration. He will also be registered as a sex offender.
The case underscores the critical role of law enforcement in combatting child exploitation and highlights the ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable children from abuse. The investigation and subsequent conviction have drawn attention to the dangerous realities of child sexual abuse materials and the need for continued vigilance in identifying and prosecuting offenders.