WDIV31%
Wayne County man had hundreds of child porn images, website tabs open on computer, feds say 6%
By Brandon Carr4% Pamela Osborne10% Jason Wilger10%
7/25/2026, 9:00:01 AM
Keywords: Grosse Ile, Wayne County
BS Summary: This article contains 13 faulty reasoning types, including Confirmation Bias, Ambiguity (Equivocation), and Availability Heuristic, with Negativity Bias as the most egregious example at 21.8% saturation with 83 hits. Analysis detected 667 faulty-reasoning hits from 381 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 22.2% and a BS Rank of 6% (20,605 of 21,887 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 94.10% of the article peer group.
A Wayne County man is accused of possessing hundreds of images of child pornography, and federal investigators claimed they found his computer had multiple tabs open on different child pornography websites.
Michael Wendt, 38, of Grosse Ile, was taken into custody following a federal search warrant executed at a home on Thorofare Road in Grosse Ile, according to court documents filed in the case.
How the investigation began
The investigation began after Google submitted reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children regarding suspected child sexual abuse material, investigators said.
Court records state multiple uploaded files were flagged, including 11 images that authorities say met the federal definition of child pornography.
Investigators said Wendt’s phone number, email address and internet protocol addresses were linked to the reported activity.
What agents found
Federal agents executed the search warrant and later obtained additional information from an individual who told investigators they had discovered hundreds of images of child sexual abuse material on Wendt’s computer about two years earlier but did not report it because they were concerned about how Wendt would respond.
According to court documents, Wendt was later arrested during a traffic stop.
Investigators seized and searched his phone, where a forensic review allegedly found hundreds of images of child pornography, including some that matched the files reported through the cyber tips.
Authorities also said the device contained images depicting the sexual abuse of minors of various ages, including infants.
Investigators said a review of Wendt’s internet browser showed multiple tabs open to child pornography websites and that screenshots from those websites were saved in his phone’s camera roll.
Charges, case status
Wendt has been charged with three federal offenses related to the alleged possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
Court records do not indicate that Wendt has entered a plea.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
The case remains under investigation.
The U.S.
Department of Justice confirmed that the FBI was present in Grosse Ile on Monday (July 20) and, consistent with the DOJ policy, that a mugshot was not provided.
The DOJ also said they were unable to comment further on the nature or circumstances of that activity.
Analysis
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