May 12, 2004

            LANSING – An Allen Park man, who was charged in March with multiple counts of manufacturing and storing on his computer sexually explicit pictures of a 5-year-old girl, pled guilty today to six felonies, Attorney General Mike Cox said.

            Thomas Henry Blumenthal III, 37, of the 14000 block of Cleophus, pled guilty to 2 counts of manufacturing sexually abusive material; 2 counts of using a computer to manufacture child sexually abusive material, each of which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. He also pled guilty to 1 count each of possession of sexually abusive material and 1 count of using a computer to possess sexually abusive material; four and seven-year felonies respectively.

            "The severity of the harm done to children by these types of predators is incalculable," Cox said. "The disturbingly perverse pathology involved in child pornography is unimaginable, and my office will relentlessly track down pedophiles to prevent future damage to Michigan’s children."

            Blumenthal is currently housed in the Wayne County jail awaiting sentencing on the convictions. The charges arose out of an arrest when Blumenthal tried to make contact with members of the Presidential detail.  He was wearing body armor and had a handgun in his car.

            The Secret Service seized his computer and identified the pornographic images. That agency turned the case over to Cox’s office, which conducted an investigation to identify the victims. Blumenthal has a military history, including Ranger training. Several books on Satanism and neo-Nazism were found in his house.

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For further information contact: Matt Davis
517-373-0481 (Office)
State of Michigan, Department of Attorney General