A Philadelphia man with a heinous history of sexual offenses against minors was handed down a hefty additional prison sentence after attempting to sexually assault an individual he believed to be a child, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office.
Attorney General Michelle Henry announced that 67-year-old Michael Flynn, a convicted child sex offender who had already spent four decades incarcerated for previous crimes, was sentenced to an additional 25 to 50 years following his latest transgression.
Michael Flynn was apprehended and tried after previously communicating with what he thought to be a 14-year-old child for sexual purposes. The “child” was, in fact, an undercover Special Agent with the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section.
A Philadelphia jury found Flynn guilty of several severe charges in July, including unlawful contact with a minor, criminal solicitation to commit statutory sexual assault, criminal solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and criminal use of a communication facility.
Following these convictions, Flynn faced the judiciary once again on December 15, where he received his new sentence, also including a subsequent three-year probation period.
During a thorough investigation conducted by the Office of Attorney General, in collaboration with the Philadelphia Police Department, it was uncovered that Flynn was actively involved in online communications with a person he presumed to be a 14-year-old child.
The individual posing as the minor consistently reiterated to Flynn that he was only 14 years old, yet despite this, Flynn persistently engaged in sexually explicit dialogue.
Flynn’s misguided belief that he was engaging an actual minor later led him to attempt to meet for sexual acts, where he also offered the supposed child $150.
However, the comprehensive sting operation, conducted in cooperation with the Attorney General’s Child Predator Section, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Philadelphia Police Department, led to his arrest upon his arrival at the predetermined location.
“This defendant proved once again that he is a threat to the most vulnerable in our community – our children,” Attorney General Michelle Henry said in a statement.
She expressed relief at the outcome, saying, “This sentence ensures a convicted predator will no longer have access to potential victims. My office remains committed to doing everything in our power to protect children from sexual predators.”
The alarming fact that Michael Flynn had re-offended mere months after being released from prison emphasized the continued danger he posed to society. His previous sentences were for sexual assaults committed in the 1970s, targeting both children and adults.