Canton man accused of paying sex trafficker in Philippines for live videos of children being sexually abused

CANTON, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Canton man is facing charges after authorities allege he paid a sex trafficker in the Philippines $30-40 for live videos of young girls being sexually abused.

Authorities say Charles Calahan Lowe, 49, exchanged more than 1,600 text messages with the known sex trafficker instructing her about what he wanted to see in the live abuse videos.

The girls, some as young as 3, were abused in real time to create sexually explicit videos and images shared over Skype.

Investigators allegedly found the detailed messages between Lowe and the trafficker when they executed a search warrant on his Skype account.

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Lowe has been charged with producing child pornography, production of child pornography, attempted production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

"The live sexual abuse of children over the internet is a heinous crime. We will continue to prosecute those who perpetrate these crimes against the most innocent and vulnerable members of society, wherever it is produced, to the fullest extent of the law," U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said.