A 47-year-old Clarkston man is facing charges for allegedly having “tens of thousands” of child pornography images — including some involving animals, officials said.
The complaint against Benjamin Guy Weeks, issued March 18 in 52-2 District Court, lists charges of three counts each of aggravated child sexually abusive activity and using a computer to commit a crime.
According to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, law enforcement confiscated approximately 35 hard drives, multiple thumb drives, CDs and computer devices from Weeks’ home and place of employment filled with tens of thousands of files showing child sexual abuse, including bestiality.
It’s believed Weeks was attempting to create a computer server to manage and share the files, the prosecutor’s office said.
“The scale of depravity uncovered in this case is shocking,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. “Behind every one of these images and videos is a child who was the victim of unspeakable abuse. I’m committed to aggressively prosecuting child pornography cases so we can protect the next child from becoming a victim.”
The court file shows the alleged crimes dating back to 2023. Jeff Wattrick, spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, told The Oakland Press that the case wasn’t turned over to the Oakland County prosecutor until this month and that the prosecutor’s office “moved quickly to file charges and authorize an arrest.”
Weeks was taken into custody Wednesday morning and booked in the Oakland County Jail. Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said his office initiated an investigation by the Computer Crimes Unit after receiving a law enforcement referral from Homeland Security Investigations.
“The sheer malevolence of this case is both disturbing and unacceptable. The suspect’s actions not only violate the law but also inflict unimaginable harm on innocent children,” Bouchard said. “We are committed to ensuring he is held fully accountable for these horrific crimes. I want to commend the dedicated members of our Computer Crimes Unit and Fugitive Apprehension Team for their tireless efforts in this case. Their expertise and relentless pursuit of justice led to the swift collection of crucial evidence and the safe apprehension of this individual.”
Aggravated child sexually abusive activity is punishable by up to 25 years in prison and/or a $125,000 fine. Using a computer to commit a crime carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine, possibly as a consecutive sentence, the prosecutor’s office said.
Former Eminem employee accused of stealing, selling pop star’s unreleased music
Lengthy prison sentence for habitual offender who killed driver in 2-vehicle crash, hid from cops
Judge suspends communication privileges for Pontiac woman accused of abandoning kids in squalor