Michigan Man Charged With Manufacturing Child Pornography after Allegedly Travelling to Pennsylvania to Sexually Assault a Minor

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Mark Allen Hillis, age 57, of Southgate, Michigan, has been arrested and charged with one count of manufacture of child pornography, attempted manufacture of child pornography, and willfully causing the manufacture of child pornography, stemming from his text communications with a 13 year-old girl on Christmas Day 2019.

As alleged in the Criminal Complaint, Hillis (also known as “Daddy” and “Denverpolice#666”), met the minor through social media and then directed her to produce and send him graphic images of child pornography via text messages. Thereafter, Hillis allegedly traveled to Pennsylvania and sexually assaulted the minor in a hotel room, after convincing her to meet up with him at a pizzeria in the middle of the night. In addition to the federal child pornography charges, Hillis faces state charges related to the alleged sexual assault in Montgomery County.

“As alleged in the Criminal Complaint, the defendant’s conduct is abhorrent: manipulating a child into sending him graphic images and then luring her from home in the middle of the night in order to commit a sexual assault to satisfy his twisted desires,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Protecting children and seeking justice for those who are victims of sexual exploitation is one of my Office’s highest priorities and we will always aggressively investigate and prosecute cases such as this.”

“This arrest demonstrates the great lengths that dangerous child predators will go through to victimize our most vulnerable,” said Brian A. Michael, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Philadelphia. “Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners will always prioritize bringing dangerous child predators to justice.”

If convicted, Hillis faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum term of 15 years’ imprisonment, a mandatory minimum term of 5 years’ supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, a component of the Department of Homeland Security, and the Limerick Township Police Department, in conjunction with the Montgomery County Detectives Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn Deal.

An Indictment, Information, or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.