Marion man, charged in two counties, now faces federal indictment alleging sex exploitation

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Marion man, previously charged with sexual exploitation and enticement of minors in Linn and Jones counties, has now been indicted in federal court in those incidents and on additional charges of child pornography and extortion.

The March federal indictment for Michael Allen Pearson, 40, of Marion, was unsealed earlier this month, and federal authorities asked a judge to move him from the Jones County Jail to federal custody until the case in U.S. District Court has been resolved.

His initial appearance hasn’t been set at this time. Pearson faces one count each of sexual exploitation of children, enticement of minors, attempted enticement of a minor, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography and extortion.

The federal charges accuse him of committing the crimes between September 2024 and January 2025. The indictment doesn’t state whether there is more than one victim.

Pearson, who lived in Anamosa at the time, was first arrested in February and charged in Jones County District Court with three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, all Class B felonies. He is accused of texting a minor multiple times from April 7 to Dec. 24, 2024, most of which the minor ignored. He “asked (for) and demanded” naked photos of her, even after she told him she was a minor.

In the Cedar Rapids case, Pearson is charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class B felony, and enticing a minor and grooming, both Class D felonies.

He is accused of contacting a spoof Facebook profile operated online by Cedar Rapids police on Jan. 24, according to a criminal complaint. An investigator pretended to be a 14-year-old girl and Pearson continued to pursue the conversation after learning “her” age.

He then engaged in a discussion of sexual acts and asked for naked photos before setting up a time to meet in person at Jones Park, according to the complaint.

When Pearson showed up at the park Jan. 28, he was confronted by police officers and admitted to communicating with a girl he believed was 14 years old.

He has pleaded not guilty in both state cases. His trials are set for Sept. 30 in Jones County and Nov. 4 in Linn County.

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