COLDWATER, Mich. (WLKI)- A Bronson man has been sentenced to 25 months to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material.
Branch County Circuit Judge Zach Stempien imposed the sentence on 38-year-old David Slaybaugh after denying his request for a reduced sentence.
Slaybaugh pleaded guilty in September. In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dismissed four other felony charges, including charges involving child sexually abusive activity and computer use.
The conviction followed a Michigan State Police cybercrime investigation. Investigators traced illegal downloads through BitTorrent to Slaybaugh's residence. The activity that drew investigators' attention dated back to December 2025.
Authorities executed a search warrant at the home and seized several external drives and other electronic devices. The devices contained tens of thousands of illegal images and videos.
Slaybaugh was arrested in May. He was sentenced to serve his prison term in the Michigan Department of Corrections.