Clinton Township Man Gets Harsh Sentence For Sexually Exploiting Children

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI — A judge showed no mercy to a Clinton Township man who forced numerous minors into sending him sexually explicit photos, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced Wednesday.

Alexander James Decker, 21, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to the sexual exploitation of children in June 2022, officials said. He also qualifies as a repeat and dangerous sex offender.

Decker admitted he requested sexually explicit photos and videos through Snapchat from numerous young girls, including a 13-year-old in the spring of 2021, federal officials announced Wednesday.

When the 13-year-old girl stopped sending the photos and videos, Decker tried blackmailing the young girl, as he threatened to expose the images she had already sent, to deliver $700 worth of pizza to her house and also to mail feces to her home if she didn’t send more explicit photos, federal officials said.

Under Decker guilty plea, defense lawyers sought the minimum 15-year sentence, but U.S. District Judge Sean Cox rejected the request and doubled the sentence, noting a letter from the 13-year-old girl.

"You ruined the start of my teenage years," the girl said in her letter. "What should have been a happy, fun, and carefreetime in my life, was turned into a living hell. You lied to me, you tricked me, you groomed me and you threatened me ... and asked me to do disgusting things. I learned about things I did not want to know and shouldn’t have had to at such a young age, if ever."

Federal officials commended the bravery of the 13-year-old girl to come forward and take the initial steps to holding Decker accountable for his crimes by reporting him to law enforcement.

"Mr. Decker hid behind the anonymity of the Internet to target, sexually exploit, and threaten children in the most reprehensible of ways," Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office James A. Tarasca said. "The protection of our children from predators like this defendant will remain a priority for the FBI as long as criminals like him exist."