West Michigan Orthodontist Facing Child Porn Charges

If I was a parent of a teen girl in West Michigan I'd be freaking out after hearing about this.

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An Orthodontist who had offices in Grandville and Plainwell is facing charges of child porn.

What Is He Being Charged With?

/ThinkStock/GettyStock Piotr Adamowicz

Wood TV reports that 41-year-old Thomas Patrick Shannon of Byron Township is facing multiple charges including:

2 counts of child sexually abusive material – aggravated possession

2 counts of sexually abusive material – possession

2 counts of using a computer to commit a crime (a 10 to 20-year felony)

2 counts of using a computer to commit a crime (a 4 t 10-year felony)

How Did He Get Caught?

According to a Probable Cause Affidavit, in September of 2021, the Kent County Sheriff's Detective Bureau received information from the Fuquay Varina Police Department in North Carolina about a person, later identified as Shannon, offering to pay a 17-year-old girl for nude photos and videos.

Philip Lange

The girl agreed and sent him the images for $150. Court documents said he asked for more photos and videos, specifically from when she was in eighth and ninth grade.

What Did Police Find On His Phone?

Thomas allegedly communicated and solicited minors online for sexually explicit nude photographs and videos and attempted to make arrangements to have sex with them.

Dimitri Karastelev via Unsplash

Detectives found explicit images of infants, prepubescent, and adolescent children going back to 2019.

Was Someone You Know A Victim?

The Kent County Sheriff’s Office doesn't believe any of the victims are from West Michigan but if you or someone you know may have been impacted, contact sheriff’s detectives at 616.632.6125.

Statement From Dr. Shannon's Attorney, Frank Shannon

Frank Shannon, Dr. Shannon's attorney, reached out to us with the following statement:

My client begins the legal process with the presumption of innocence. He has cooperated fully with authorities in their investigation. We look forward to his day in court when these allegations can be addressed.

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