WICHITA, KAN. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Kansas), published as received.
WICHITA, KAN. – A convicted child sex offender was sentenced to 151 months in prison for having child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Michael Eugene Watley, 59, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
In July 2025, Watley allowed someone to use his cellphone. While using Watley's phone, the person discovered CSAM images on the device. After the person confronted Watley, they saw Watley move the images into a secure folder protected with a pin code. The witness then called 911, and law enforcement responded.
A forensic review of Watley's phone and laptop revealed CSAM including images of prepubescent children under the age of 12 subjected to sex acts.
In 2006, Watley was convicted in Sedgwick County District Court of Attempted Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child and sentenced to 44 months in prison.
“While law enforcement works tirelessly to apprehend child predators, they can’t be everywhere. In this case, a witness saw that Mr. Watley was engaged in sexually deviant behavior that victimizes children and made the brave decision to contact the police,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Please, if you see something, say something.”
The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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