A Hillsville, Virginia man was sentenced on Apr. 6 to serve 156 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the use of online platforms by adults to exploit children, as well as law enforcement efforts to combat these crimes.
According to court documents, Michael Tibbs, age 25, was identified by FBI agents after a then-15-year-old victim reported through the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center that she had been groomed for about a year and repeatedly asked for nude images. Agents reviewed Discord messages revealing Tibbs engaged in sexual conversations with several minor girls and paid them for sexually explicit images and videos. Some victims were interviewed and confirmed receiving payment from Tibbs for this content.
On July 18, 2024, agents executed a search warrant at Tibbs’ residence and seized his phone. The device contained numerous sexually explicit images and videos of women whose ages could not be determined; among them were two videos depicting a known minor victim who was just 13 years old. Investigators also found hundreds of computer-generated or animated images showing graphic abuse of children, including toddlers.
Tibbs admitted during an interview that he used Discord to purchase sexual content from minors—estimating purchases from between ten and fifteen underage girls—and said his interest began after viewing child pornography on TikTok.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division announced the sentencing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation while Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Inman prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006—to protect children from exploitation by coordinating resources across federal, state, and local agencies.
