View Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Police Department
Mike Ceynowa, Chief of Police
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
DATE: 5/9/2022
SUBJECT: Individual Arrested on 15 Counts of Possession of Pornographic Works Involving Minors
BY: Mattie Hjelseth, Duluth Police Department Public Information Officer
NATURE OF INCIDENT: Possession of Child Pornography
CASE NO.: 20052286
INCIDENT DATE: 5/6/2022
INCIDENT TIME: 2:10 p.m.
INCIDENT LOCATION: 5700 block of Tioga St
SUBJECT: Individual Arrested on 15 Counts of Possession of Pornographic Works Involving Minors
BY: Mattie Hjelseth, Duluth Police Department Public Information Officer
NATURE OF INCIDENT: Possession of Child Pornography
CASE NO.: 20052286
INCIDENT DATE: 5/6/2022
INCIDENT TIME: 2:10 p.m.
INCIDENT LOCATION: 5700 block of Tioga St
Individual Arrested on 15 Counts of Possession of Pornographic Works Involving Minors
At approximately 2:10 p.m., Friday, May 6, Investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, with assistance from the Duluth Police Department, arrested 57-year-old Duluth resident Michael Thomas Wipson for 15 counts of Possession of Pornographic Works Involving Minors.
The investigation began over a year ago from multiple Cybertips that were received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). This led to a search warrant of Wipson and his residence in the 5700 block of Tioga Street on Wednesday, February 9, 2022.
During the execution of the search warrant, ICAC Investigators seized more than 25 electronic devices and after a few of the devices had been processed, some of those devices contained more than 700 images/videos of suspected child sexual abuse material or child exploitation identified by NCMEC.
Investigators are still forensically examining other seized devices. No further information will be released as this is an active investigation.
###