SULLIVAN COUNTY — A Wisconsin man has been arrested in connection with a child exploitation case that began with the arrest of a Tennessee man in April, according to Newport police.
Michael Brandon Shu, 24, of Beloit, Wisconsin, was arrested May 5 on multiple felony charges including manufacture of child sexual abuse images, trafficking in persons, and certain uses of computer prohibited.
The arrest follows an investigation that began with the apprehension of Jacob Isaiah Haun of Johnson City, Tennessee, who was charged with similar offenses related to the online sexual exploitation of two minor children in Newport.
Haun has since been extradited to New Hampshire and is being held without bail in preventative detention by the 5th Circuit Court – District Division – Newport.
Shu was arrested by the Beloit Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force on a warrant issued by Newport police.
He is currently being held without bail as a fugitive from justice in Wisconsin, pending extradition to New Hampshire.
Newport Police detectives executed more than thirty search warrants during the investigation, examining data from social media providers, internet service providers, financial institutions, and wireless telephone providers.
The Newport Police Department, an affiliate agency of the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, was assisted by multiple agencies including the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Police say the investigation is ongoing, with additional arrests and charges anticipated as they continue to identify adult suspects and minor victims in multiple states.
