Harvestman sentenced to 70 years in prison for online child sexual exploitation

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (WHNT) — A Madison County man has been convicted of child sexual exploitation.

U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala sentenced Michale Shawun Hill, 43, of Harvest, to 70 years in prison, followed by lifelong parole. As part of his sentence, Hill was ordered to pay $40,500 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.

Hill pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography, advertising child pornography and possessing child pornography. Hill is a registered sex offender after being convicted in 2007 of sexual misconduct with a minor.

“Protecting our most vulnerable from predators is a critical part of keeping society safe,” said U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona. “Our law enforcement partners continue to do an outstanding job of identifying and locating these predators and putting them behind bars where they belong.”

According to the plea agreement, in the summer of 2020, Hill spoke to someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover agent with the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in Jacksonville, Florida.

Hill’s communications were sexual in nature.

The FBI Birmingham Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force searched Hill’s home. He admitted to being attracted to girls between the ages of 15 and 19. However, he denied participating in online groups that focused on exchanging child sexual abuse material or downloading such material.

However, further investigation revealed that Hill had distributed child pornography online and that he had advertised child pornography in a social media group with approximately 50 other people.

Forensic examination of Hill’s electronic devices revealed that more than 250 videos and 700 images of child sexual abuse were in circulation.

The Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force of the FBI Birmingham investigated the case in conjunction with the FBI Jacksonville, Florida, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leabb White prosecuted the case.