Virginia man who sexually assaulted 50 children is sentenced to 50 years

A A 35-year-old Virginia man who sexually assaulted 50 children via Facebook has been sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Michael Tienping Tang, who pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children in the McAllen area on May 22, 2019, on Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas said in a news release .

“At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence, including that victims of these schemes often experience deep fear and shame and often delay reporting the behavior,” the release said. “However, in this case, Judge Crane heard how two minor victims eventually came forward and exposed Tang’s crimes.”

And it wasn’t Tang’s first time.

The court also noted in imposing the lengthy sentence that Tang was under supervision after being convicted in 2012 of attempted indecent liberties with a child and two counts of possession of child pornography in Virginia, the release said.

The judge also found that Tang used social media to stalk his victims and their family friends, and that he coerced over 50 victims into sexually explicit acts through multiple accounts.

“Tang’s demands often included sodomy and required underage victims with younger siblings to produce images and videos in which they engaged in sexually explicit conduct with their younger siblings,” the release said.

The investigation began in May 2017 after authorities learned of the possible sexual exploitation of two minors in a local school district. Investigators learned that Tang forced them to produce child sexual abuse material.

“When the victims blocked Tang on Facebook, he created new accounts, communicated and interacted with the victim’s Facebook friends and contacts, and regained access to them,” the release said. “After regaining access, Tang coerced both victims into a list of sexual activities by threatening to distribute their images and videos.”

When a minor victim failed to meet Tang’s deadline for producing child abuse material, Tang distributed a sexually explicit video of that minor.

Alamdar S. Hamdani, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, called Tang sick and depraved.

“Today’s sentence shrinks Tang’s social circle, defined by the vastness of an online world, to the restrictive confines of a federal prison,” Hamdani said in the press release.

Craig S. Larrabee, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security investigations in San Antonio, said Tang’s sexual abuse was deeply cruel and created trauma that may not heal.

“Fortunately, he will spend the next 50 years in prison where he cannot harm another child. “We will seek the same lengthy sentence for anyone who attempts to exploit children in our communities,” the release said.

After his conviction, he will spend the rest of his life on supervised release, must abide by restrictions limiting his access to children and the Internet, and will be ordered to register as a sex offender.