A 43-year-old Southfield man, Jernigan Patrick, faces five felony charges following allegations that he sent sexually explicit material to children and assaulted an officer during his arrest. The case involves four children who were 13 and 14 years old, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors say Patrick encountered the children in downtown Birmingham earlier this year and subsequently became a member of their Snapchat group. The allegations concern material he sent through Snapchat in October, after he had been added to the group.
According to prosecutors, Patrick sent a sexually explicit video and a photograph of himself to one child on October 19. They allege that he sent a further explicit photograph of himself to the group the following day, October 20.
One of the children became uncomfortable and told a parent about what had happened, prosecutors said. Patrick now faces four counts of distribution of sexually explicit material to children, along with a single count of resisting and obstructing a police officer.
On November 5, Patrick voluntarily visited the Birmingham Police Department and gave investigators permission to access his phone, prosecutors said. During that examination, an investigator saw videos suspected of containing child sexual abuse material. Prosecutors described those videos as material the investigator believed contained such abuse.
Prosecutors also allege that Patrick assaulted a Birmingham police sergeant while officers were arresting him. The charge of resisting and obstructing a police officer accompanies the four distribution charges arising from the allegations involving the children.
Prosecutor Karen McDonald urged parents to maintain conversations with their children so they feel able to report situations that make them uneasy. She said parents cannot always be present and should help children develop the confidence to make good decisions and speak up.
McDonald praised the child who alerted a parent, saying that coming forward helped protect friends and other potential victims. She emphasized the importance of children feeling comfortable telling their parents when something seems wrong, calling the child's decision to report the situation the right one.
Each distribution count carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000, or both. The resisting and obstructing charge also carries up to two years in prison, with a possible fine of up to $2,000, or both.
