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A retired children's hospital chaplain who recorded himself sexually abusing an underage girl was sentenced to federal prison last week.
Michael Downs, 71, pleaded guilty in July 2023 to two counts of sexual exploitation of children and was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Downs was also ordered by the judge to undergo a lifetime of supervised release.
According to plea papers, the investigation began on Jan. 22 after a 17-year-old told her aunt she had been sexually abused by Downs and that he'd recorded the abuse on his iPad. The DOJ said Downs' wife provided law enforcement with several electronic devices from their residence and that law enforcement located a hard drive that contained numerous videos and photos of Downs engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the minor.
"This is an incredibly important case involving shocking and abhorrent conduct," said Simonton. "Let this be a message to others who seek to prey on children in this way: We will do everything in our power to incapacitate you by locking you away in prison for as long as possible."
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In a statement, Cook Children's told our partners at The Dallas Morning News that they were "appalled, shocked and deeply saddened by the heinous crimes committed by Michael Downs" and that they were "committed to acting responsibly on behalf of our patients, families, visitors and employees."
The hospital told the paper it did not find evidence that Downs “was engaged in any wrongdoing or inappropriate behavior with our patients.”
Simonton said one of the Department of Justice's most veteran prosecutors worked on the case with partners at the Fort Worth Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
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"While preying on the vulnerability of our youth, those in positions of public trust should expect the most stern accountability for their actions," said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. "Due to our strong partnership with the Fort Worth Police Department, we were again successful in prosecuting another sexual predator and preventing the victimization of more children."
