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Bark River man arrested on sexually abusive material charges

BARK RIVER — An investigation conducted by the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has resulted in the arrest of a man from Bark River.

Eli Bernier, 18, was arrested on July 8, authorities said.

The investigation stemmed from an investigation by the Brown County Wisconsin Sheriff’s Department, who reached out for assistance from the MSP ICAC Task Force. Further investigation led to locating a residence in Delta County where the suspect was residing.

A search warrant of the home netted multiple internet capable devices and evidence. An arrest warrant was issued and Bernier was arrested without incident.

Bernier has been charged with two counts of child sexually abusive activity-aggravated possession, and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime. Bernier was issued a $2,000 personal recognizance bond.

If convicted, Bernier faces 10 years in prison for the aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material, and up to 10 years in prison for using a computer to commit a crime.

The MSP Computer Crimes Unit encourages parents to speak to their children and family members about the safe use of the internet. There are many resources available to assist in keeping children safe online.

The NCMEC provides a comprehensive list of resources on their website http://www.missingkids.org. The MSP ICAC Task Force also provides resources at http://www.michiganicac.com.

If you have information regarding possible child sexual exploitation, report it to the CyberTipline at http://www.missingkids.org/cybertipline.

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