Traverse City Men Arrested for Aggravated Possession of Child Sexually Abusive Material

The Ciepiela’s were arrested following an investigation which began when a tip was received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). A search of their residence resulted in numerous internet capable devices being seized.

Joshua Ciepiela was charged with three counts of aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material and one count of using a computer to commit a crime. Jonathan Ciepiela was charged with two counts of possession of child sexually abusive material and one count of using a computer to commit a crime. The Ciepiela’s were arraigned in the 86th Judicial District Court.

The MSP ICAC Task Force was assisted by the MSP Canine Team, 7th District ES Team and 7th District HST.

The MSP Computer Crimes Unit encourages parents to speak to their children about the safe use of the internet. There are many resources available to parents to assist in keeping children safe online. The NCMEC provides a comprehensive list of resources on their website at http://www.missingkids.org. The MSP ICAC Task Force also provides resources at http://www.michiganicac.com.

If you have information regarding possible child sexual exploitation, report it to the Cyber Tip Line at http://www.missingkids.org/cybertipline.