Shannon T. Hanson, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that Michael Kealty, of Magnolia, was sentenced today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware to 10 years in federal prison for his crime of coercing and enticing a minor into sexual activity. The Honorable U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews issued the sentence.
According to Court documents, Kealty met a 16-year-old girl online and groomed her for six months into producing sexually explicit images and videos of herself. At one point Kealty threatened to expose the girl’s images to the public if she did not continue to perform for him. Kealty’s online accounts also showed his attempted exploitation of additional, unidentified minor girls, including a 13-year-old.
Kealty, a former detective with the Smyrna Police Department, was charged in October 2023 with Distribution and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. On October 15, 2024, Kealty pleaded guilty to an enhanced charge of Coercion/Enticement of a Minor, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Hanson stated, “Mr. Kealty betrayed his oath, his badge, and his community by exploiting the most vulnerable members of our community, our children. Today’s sentence sends a message that no one is above the law. I commend the FBI for their diligent pursuit of justice in this case and for ensuring that child predators like Mr. Kealty are brought to justice.”
“There is absolutely no tolerance for any actions that hurt a child. Kealty’s crimes are especially egregious considering he swore to protect our communities and children,” says Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “Delaware is safer with him locked up where can no longer victimize or abuse anyone else.”