Canton Twp. man accused of texting foreign trafficker to watch child sexual abuse live

A Canton Township man accused of texting instructions to an international sex trafficker to watch children being sexually abused on camera has been charged in a seven-count indictment in federal court, U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison announced Friday.

Charles Calahan Lowe, 49, is the 112th person arrested as part of a 10-year international sex trafficking investigation, Ison said in a statement.

Federal investigators allege Lowe exchanged more than 1,600 text messages with a known sex trafficker in the Philippines and paid her $30 to $40 for live “shows” of young girls, some as young as 3 years old, who were abused in real time to create sexually explicit videos and images shared over Skype.

Law enforcement learned of Lowe when they executed a federal search warrant on the trafficker’s Skype account and found the detailed text messages, according to a criminal complaint filed last month.

Lowe allegedly sent wire payments for the child-sexually abusive material through Western Union at Rite Aid stores in Metro Detroit in order to avoid his wife finding out, federal officials said.

The trafficker has since been arrested and charged overseas.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Portland, Maine and Detroit as well as the Michigan State Police.

Lowe is charged with conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, attempted production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and and possession of child pornography.

He faces up to 30 years.

"The live sexual abuse of children over the internet is a heinous crime," Ison said in a statement. "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."

Lowe was arraigned Friday through U.S. District Court, records show.

A not guilty plea was entered. He was ordered to remain in detention.

jchambers@detroitnews.com