Michael David Jackson, Sex Abuse of Minor, Oklahoma 2021

Michael David Jackson, a 40-year-old resident of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for his heinous crimes against a minor.

Jackson was convicted by a federal jury on July 1, 2021 for his role in the Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12, Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 Years, Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction, and Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

According to the evidence presented during the trial, Jackson began sexually abusing the victim in the fall of 2019 and continued to do so until late-December 2019. The child's parents testified that they relied on Jackson to provide childcare while they worked, thinking they could trust him. In his caretaking role, Jackson had continued access to the child, including staying overnight, which he used to sexually abuse the victim.

The trial evidence also proved that Jackson used a cell phone camera to capture images of the abuse. The defendant was sentenced to three individual life sentences for the Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 and one count of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 Years. He was also sentenced to 360 months for one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child/Use of a Child to Produce a Visual Depiction and 240 months for two counts of Possession of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. All sentences will run concurrently.

United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson stated, “The sentence ordered by the Court will ensure that the defendant will never have the ability to abuse or exploit another child. Cases like this are especially heart-wrenching. I am thankful for the work of the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office to see to it the defendant was brought to justice.”

The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma in Muskogee, presided over the sentencing hearing. Jackson was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await commitment to a United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant United States Attorneys Courtney Jordan and Dean Burris prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States. This is a clear indication that the justice system is working to protect our children from such heinous crimes.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edok/pr/tahlequah-resident-sentenced-life-imprisonment-sexually-abusing-minor-under-12-indian