COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Perry County man was sentenced Tuesday to 40 years in federal prison after admitting to sexually exploiting at least four minor victims and possessing hundreds of thousands of child sexual abuse images and videos.
Shannon “Michael” McTighe, 46, formerly of Thornville, received a 480-month sentence in U.S. District Court after pleading guilty in February 2026 to sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, investigators found approximately 300,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material on McTighe’s electronic devices. Authorities said the collection included newly created material depicting McTighe sexually abusing four minor victims to whom he had access. Court records state the abuse of one victim began when she was 7 years old.
McTighe was arrested by FBI agents in Canton on June 12, 2025. During the arrest, investigators recovered numerous digital storage devices and three pairs of female juvenile underwear from a safe inside his residence. Authorities also said his cellphone search history included terms such as “underage,” “jailbait girls” and “extremely young.”
The sentence was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio and the FBI’s Cincinnati Division. Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison imposed the sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Czerniejewski prosecuted the case.
The case was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative aimed at identifying, prosecuting, and preventing the sexual exploitation of children.
