HOWELL — A Howell man has been sentenced to prison for possessing child pornography.

Thomas Paul Flanders, 39, of Howell, was sentenced to 10-40 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections. Flanders was sentenced Thursday, March 14, in Livingston County 44th Circuit Court before Chief Judge Michael Hatty. Flanders receives credit for 217 days served in jail.

Flanders pleaded guilty in February to three counts of aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material and three counts of using a computer to commit a crime. Court records indicate Flanders pleaded as part of a Cobbs agreement, when the court tells the defendant what their sentence will likely be before they enter a plea.

Flanders was arrested by the Michigan State Police in August 2023 after an investigation by the MSP Computer Crimes Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The investigation was based on a tip received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

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Police searched Flanders’ residence and seized digital evidence.

The MSP ICAC Task Force provides a list of resources on its website for keeping people safe online at michiganicac.com. If you have information regarding possible child sexual exploitation, report it to the CyberTipline at missingkids.org/cybertipline.

— Contact reporter Evan Sasiela at esasiela@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on Twitter @SalsaEvan.

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Howell man sentenced to prison for possessing child pornography