A former airman stationed at Scott Air Force Base appeared in district court to plead guilty to federal charges for sexually exploiting minors and distributing images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
32-year-old Michael E. McCay pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents, law enforcement executed a search warrant on McCay’s residence on Scott Air Force Base related to receipt and distribution of child pornography in February 2023. Agents reviewed McCay’s cell phone and identified more than 4,000 known images and videos of CSAM and more than 18,000 unidentified images.
Agents also found communications with purported minors on McCay’s cell phone. He admitted to requesting sexually explicit images of the minors, sending threatening messages and distributing the received CSAM.
In January 2024, a second search warrant was executed on McCay’s new cell phone. Agents again located thousands of images and videos of CSAM and additional communications with minors.
Law enforcement identified at least two minor victims, a 12-year-old and an 11-year-old, that McCay was sexually exploiting through online applications, including Roblox, Kik, Snapchat and Likee.
Convictions for sexual exploitation of a minor are punishable by a minimum of 15 years up to 30 years’ imprisonment and distribution of child pornography is punishable by a minimum of 5 years up to 20 years. McCay’s sentencing is scheduled for April 7 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
The U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations led the investigation.
