Cocoa man resentenced for producing child pornography at Sea World

ORLANDO, Fla. — A Cocoa man has been re-sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child following an investigation by the Child Exploitation Task Force including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Cocoa Police Department, Brevard County Sheriff's Office and the Orange County Sheriff's Office's Sex Crimes Unit.

Michael Brian Grzybowicz, 30, of Cocoa, was also sentenced to a lifetime term of supervision following his release. A federal jury found Grzybowicz guilty of producing, distributing and possessing child pornography. He was also sentenced to another 10-year prison term to run concurrent to the 30-year sentence.

"Crimes of this nature will remain a priority of HSI, as we work with local partners to help protect our children," said Susan L. McCormick, special agent in charge for HSI Tampa.

Grzybowicz was originally sentenced to 30 years in federal prison in 2012 before appealing the judgment. On May 6, 2014, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit vacated the conviction on distribution of child pornography and vacated the sentences on all counts. The case was remanded back to the district court for resentencing.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Grzybowicz went to Sea World with a family, including a 2-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy, to celebrate the children's mother's birthday. While at the park, Grzybowicz was asked by the parents of the children to watch the minor girl and her brother while the parents rode a roller coaster. While the parents were on the roller coaster, Grzybowicz molested the 2 year-old and took explicit photographs of the child, using his cell phone. He emailed those pictures to his personal e-mail address after leaving the park. Two days later, at their Cocoa residence, Grzybowicz's wife found one of the photographs on Grzybowicz's cell phone. She reported the photographs to the Cocoa Police Department. Law enforcement authorities located Grzybowicz's computer, which contained other images of child pornography, including the images he had taken of the child at the theme park. Grzybowicz was arrested after he provided a statement to a police detective.

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.