PHILADELPHIA, PA — A Philadelphia man, previously jailed for child sexual offenses, has been handed a 25 to 50-year sentence for attempting to sexually assault an undercover officer posing as a child. Michael Flynn, 67, believed he was communicating online with a 14-year-old child. However, the “child” was an undercover Special Agent from the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section.
Flynn, who served 40 years in prison for previous sexual offenses, was convicted in July by a Philadelphia jury. The charges included unlawful contact with a minor, criminal solicitation to commit statutory sexual assault, criminal solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and criminal use of a communication facility. The court declared him a sexually violent predator on Friday, December 15.
The investigation, conducted by the Office’s Child Predator Section, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Philadelphia Police Department, revealed Flynn’s explicit online exchanges with the undercover agent. Despite the “child” repeatedly stating they were 14, Flynn continued the explicit conversations and arranged a meeting for sexual acts, offering the “child” $150.
Flynn was taken into custody by Special Agents when he arrived at the agreed-upon location. His new crimes occurred just months after his parole from a lengthy prison term for sexual assaults committed in the 1970s.
Attorney General Michelle Henry commented on the case, stating, “This defendant proved once again that he is a threat to the most vulnerable in our community – our children. This sentence ensures a convicted predator will no longer have access to potential victims. My office remains committed to doing everything in our power to protect children from sexual predators.”
Senior Deputy Attorney General Michelle Laucella prosecuted the case.
The Attorney General’s office urges anyone with information about child predators to contact their Child Predator Section at 1-800-385-1044. To report child abuse, concerned citizens can also call the Pennsylvania ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313.
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