Michigan resident charged with 20-year felony for singing sex song

In January, singer Evan Emory performed at the Beechnau School under the pretense he was working on a personal project. A teacher he knew at the school agreed to let him come in and videotape.

Emory and a friend taped his performance with students in the classroom. Then, later, without anyone else in the room, he was videotaped performing an explicit song, then edited it to make it appear he sang to the elementary students. It was posted on YouTube three days ago.

The 21-year-old faces one felony count of manufacturing child sexually abusive material, and faces up to 20 years in prison, if convicted. Prosecutors would have to prove children were engaged, or appeared to be engaged, for the conviction.

In the beginning of the YouTube video, Emory posts two disclaimers that no students were exposed to his explicit version. The video was posted Feb. 12. Emory told 24 Hour News 8 it was supposed to be funny, and never meant to hurt anyone.

www.woodtv.com...



This is ridiculous... I have seen so many skits and shows on TV where kids appear to be involved in sexually abusive material. The Chappelle show and Tosh.0 come to mind and there are many more. Why are these shows not held accountable but this guy is looking at 20 years for a skit?

I love how the parents are out for blood not even thinking that this will ruin this young mans life. People are going crazy these days.

***If there were no kids present during the performance of damaging material, and there is no intent for this material to be shown to anything other than a mature audience, then taking him to court is a farce. ***

ETA: Above statement is incorrect. Please see further postings.

However, the whole premise of his act, and the final product are not funny to me. Maybe it's because I have children.

And...

Why do people do such blatantly stupid stuff knowing that we live in an overly litigious society???

Lesson learned I guess.

Yet another reason not to pay your taxes to avoid stupidity like this from the Judicial System.

I honestly believe people have nothing better to do with their lives than complain. I can understand their gripe, (I have a 4 year old son) but seriously... These are the same people who probably swear, drink and whatever else in front of their kids.

Double standards.

reply to post by TV_Nation


you cant prosecute every "poor-taste" video on Youtube..

he should not get into trouble,, i mean hasn't anyone viewed a MOVIE.. with ACTORS
nobody REALLY gets shot...

so many things in poor taste,, on tv every day..on cartoons yet...

man............... speech-less

every Hollywood director would be held in violation

free speech has not been under SO much "heavy-handed-yet- limpwristed scrutiny,, ever in my lifetime

It was in poor taste and the guy is a dummy for not realizing it might piss people off. I am sure I would not be happy if my kid was in the video. The punishment is way over the top though. It was just a poorly thought out joke and this young man should not have to spend time in jail for making a mistake.

I think a pubic apology and maybe some community service would be enough.

reply to post by TV_Nation
what a stupid thing to do,even in the name of comedy he should have known better.I don't think he should get twenty years for it though,probation and community service maybe. People,people think before you do stupid things like this.

WTF!!!???
What ever happened to probation and/or community service??

reply to post by TWILITE22


Nice sentiment, but where is the crime?

Originally posted by Erasurehead
It was in poor taste and the guy is a dummy for not realizing it might piss people off.

Idiotic thing to say, no two ways about it.

Of course he expected it to piss some people off, what he wasn't expecting was to be treated like a criminal and threatened with 20 years in prison for a harmless video project.

What was the point?

To give the impression that he was singing a sexually explicit song to children?

Whether the kids were there or not is irrelevant, it is exploitation.

Something like this would appeal to who exactly?

Pedophiles?

How would you feel if your child was in this video?

This guy may be testing the boundaries of free speech, but this goes too far IMO, This kind of crap feeds the sickness that drives child sex abuse. He should get no sympathy or protection, and needs to be made an example of.

Not only is he an idiot, he is obviously a pervert.

reply to post by sixswornsermon


The crime is "manufacturing child sexually abusive material". In that state the law on the books makes no difference between actual abuse and simulated.

Even if you just edit a bunch of video clips together that makes it look like a child is being sexually abused it is the same as if you actually video a real child sexual assult.

Hmm.. So how about the directors who are filming shows where is implied and/or suggested that underage kids are being sexually abused or having sex? Are they in prison?

what about the director of The Girl Next Door? Why isn't he in prison?

The charges are a farce and targetting people like this is an abuse of the legal system.

I can see the dude being charged with:
1) Failure to obtain consent (1 count for each child)
2) Improper use of state facilities (for using the school for a purpose of which he was not given permission)

ETA: Given that it is a state law, I can see how folks in Hollywood would not be impacted.. differant state and all that. Hope there isn't another law stating that it is illegal to own, view or distribute such material.

reply to post by Fractured.Facade


im sure i've seen Worse.. on latenight TV

god,, have any of us watched CABLE lately ??

Originally posted by alaskan

Originally posted by Erasurehead
It was in poor taste and the guy is a dummy for not realizing it might piss people off.

Idiotic thing to say, no two ways about it.

Of course he expected it to piss some people off, what he wasn't expecting was to be treated like a criminal and threatened with 20 years in prison for a harmless video project.

Talk about an idiotic statement.
Harmless to you maybe but not to the families of the children that are clearly seen in this guys dumb video.
The guy is a jackass. What he did is a crime in the state he lives in, regardless of what you think people can't just involve other peoples children in their stupid tastless jokes posted on Youtube.

reply to post by Erasurehead


Ok that makes sense. Thanks for the clarification.

If my kid saw that I would be PISSED.

reply to post by Fractured.Facade



... obviously a pervert ??


Feeding child sex abuse ???


lol..... some people really have no clue, and obviously never developed a sense of humour.

Get over yourselves busybody parents, its a JOKE.

" oh but i dont find it funny" they'll tell me.....

yeah well.... i have a feeling you dont find a whole lot in life to be very funny.... but that doesnt mean you have to drag the rest of us into your personal hells.

Originally posted by Fractured.Facade


Not only is he an idiot, he is obviously a pervert.

Are you sure he's not just a comedian?

Anybody remember Brooke Shields in Blue Lagoon? She was like 13 when that was made.... if I remember correctly there was a "sex" scene involving her character.

No... if he does any time at all it would be a horrible injustice. Don't these people have real criminals to go after?

Originally posted by Blarneystoner
No... if he does any time at all it would be a horrible injustice. Don't these people have real criminals to go after?

Yeah, anyone who falls outside the White Bread, Christian, Atomic Family stereotype.

Hmmmm. Well, I have to admit, I think he is an idiot for mixing sex and children. You just dont do that in America. Even in the editing room. Its just bad news, all the way around. In a country where children who send naked pictures of themselves to their minor friends are being charged with distributing child porn, what really could he have expected?

I think he deserves to be punished. I dont think he deserves 20 years. But if you are willing to do anything for fame, you should be willing to pay the consequences when your "anything" is illegal.

Originally posted by Erasurehead

Originally posted by alaskan

Originally posted by Erasurehead
It was in poor taste and the guy is a dummy for not realizing it might piss people off.

Idiotic thing to say, no two ways about it.

Of course he expected it to piss some people off, what he wasn't expecting was to be treated like a criminal and threatened with 20 years in prison for a harmless video project.

Talk about an idiotic statement.

Harmless to you maybe but not to the families of the children that are clearly seen in this guys dumb video.
The guy is a jackass. What he did is a crime in the state he lives in, regardless of what you think people can't just involve other peoples children in their stupid tastless jokes posted on Youtube.

Fine... then prosecute him for violation of privacy or videotaping w/out proper authorization, either of those crimes would not warrant 20 yrs in the Federal Pen. You're talking about destroying a young man's life for a mistake that didn't harm anyone... please lets try to use some common sense!