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The FBI conducted a raid Monday night at a Grosse Ile home to search for evidence of possession of child pornography, according to federal court records.
The FBI examined three tips Monday submitted by Google to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about possible child pornography being uploaded to a Google Drive belonging to Michael Wendt. FBI Special Agent Matthew Hughes viewed the photos Monday and found they indeed were child pornography.
Grosse Ile Police provided a report to the FBI Monday made by someone who said two years prior they were looking at Wendt's computer and found several hundred images of child pornography, but did not report it due to fears of his reaction, Hughes wrote in an affidavit seeking criminal charges.
The FBI obtained and executed a search warrant at Wendt's Grosse Ile home and arrested him during a traffic stop, Hughes wrote.
Wendt was charged Tuesday federally with transportation of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Wendt is a physician assistant in Wayne County, according to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs.
His attorney, Jerry Sabbota, said Wendt is presumed innocent until he is proven guilty.
“He is a well-respected physician assistant in that area,” Sabbota said. “The charges have been lodged … and they’re just allegations at this point. I would pray and hope people follow the Constitution and presume him innocent and wait and see before they reach judgment.”
When reviewing Wendt's phone, Hughes wrote in the affidavit that he found several hundred images of child pornography, some of which matched the photos uploaded to Wendt's Google Drive. Some of the images,, which were screen shots taken from the internet, showed the sexual assaults of young children, including infants and toddlers.
Jordan Hall, a spokesman for the FBI in Detroit, would only say the bureau was there conducting law enforcement activity.
"Consistent with FBI policy, we cannot comment further on the nature or circumstances of that activity," Hall said.
Grosse Ile police officials confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that authorities executed a search warrant in the township.
"As this is an active federal investigation, the Grosse Ile Police Department is unable to comment on the nature of the investigation or provide any additional information regarding the execution of the warrant," the officials said. "The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation."
Law enforcement agents, wearing body armor with the FBI insignia, deployed flash-bang devices and worked with a vehicle that deployed a battering ram at about 9:30 p.m. at the home on Thorofare Road at Whitall.
The battering ram could not reach the door, however, due to vehicles in the driveway.
Agents stayed at the house until the early morning hours.
Residents reported several unmarked vehicles staging at the Grosse Ile police and fire station Monday evening and movement of the vehicles toward the north end of the island.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: FBI raid in Grosse Ile connected to child porn investigation
