Marathon man has been sentenced to four years in state prison for possessing child pornography

A former Marathon man has been sentenced to four years in state prison for possessing child pornography and must register with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as a sex offender, a judge ruled July 30.

Acting Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Ruth Becker also sentenced Michael Savinelli, 50, to 24 months of sex-offender probation following his release followed by 48 months of traditional probation. He also must perform 100 hours of community service and pay the costs of investigation and prosecution, and court costs.

Assistant State Attorney Colleen Dunne represented the state.

Savinelli pleaded no contest May 8 to 10 counts of possession of a sexual performance by a child. He had faced 76 counts of possessing child pornography for images and a video found on his personal computer at his residence. He was arrested on six counts on November 17, 2016. The additional charges were added after investigators did a further forensic review of his computer.

Savinelli had been free on $420,000 bond and was staying with family in Connecticut before he was taken into custody following his sentencing.

According to law enforcement reports, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office investigators and agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant on November, 17, 2016, at Savinelli’s Sombrero Beach Road residence after receiving a tip someone at the residence might be uploading child pornography.

After waiving his Miranda rights, Savinelli reportedly told those executing the search that “there may be child pornography on his computer.” He reportedly said he lived alone and that no one else used his computer.

“Savinelli stated he would go into chat rooms and other people would send him child pornography and sometimes he would send child pornography to other people,” according to a report by Sheriff’s Office Deputy Matthew Pitcher.

“Savinelli stated he understood what child pornography is and it is wrong to have child pornography,” Pitcher wrote.

[livemarket market_name="KONK Life LiveMarket" limit=3 category=“” show_signup=0 show_more=0]