WARSAW — A former Times-Union reporter was sentenced to 45 additional days in the Kosciusko County Jail and one year and three months of probation today, May 22.

Michael Steven Anderson, 36, 600 W. Pike St., Warsaw, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual misconduct with a minor, a level 6 felony.

Michael Steven Anderson

On Nov. 29, Anderson’s girlfriend contacted the Warsaw Police Department in regards to inappropriate conversations she had discovered. The girlfriend told police that she and Anderson had met on a “Domestic Discipline Lifestyle” chat forum and participated in a BDSM relationship. She provided the police department with photographs of two separate chats she had discovered.

The first conversation was between Anderson and a minor female born in 2004. The two discuss meeting and Anderson told her he would spank her for her sins. During the conversation, the minor identifies her age and the conversation continued. The second conversation photographed was between Anderson and a mother. The two talk about the mother spanking her nude children and kissing them. Anderson expresses interest in also spanking and kissing her children.

The officers obtained a search warrant for the phone and discovered several more inappropriate conversations involving minors.

One of the conversations involved a 14-year-old minor that began in 2016 and continued until the present. The minor identified her age, and Anderson talked about taking her to a dance. The two talked about nude spanking and Anderson sent her photographs of his residence so she can see where she would sleep if she were to come and stay at his house. Another conversation discovered is with a minor who identified herself as 14 when they began talking. The conversation began with detailed photographs of a whipping station and continues to talk about frequent nude spankings.

During the sentencing, Anderson’s attorney Jay Rigdon stated that this has been an interesting case due to the “grey areas of communication we see now in cyberspace.”

Rigdon brought up Anderson’s criminal history stating that he has only had a few misdemeanors for disorderly conduct. This is his first felony conviction. He also mentioned Anderson’s “good education” and “good work history.”

Deputy Prosecutor Dan Hampton spoke on behalf of the state. Hampton reiterated that Anderson had a few misdemeanor convictions and said that a pre-sentence investigation report showed that Anderson was a low-risk for reoffending. Hampton questioned this rating and said there was a possibility for reoccurrence based on the crime.

Hampton requested that the court require a physcosexual analysis be done and any recommended treatment be executed.

Judge Torrey Bauer ordered a 15-month executed sentence with a formal probation period of one year and three months to follow. Due to time served, Anderson has a balance of 45 days to serve in the Kosciusko County Jail.

Once the executed sentence is completed, Anderson must complete his formal probation. It was noted that Anderson wishes to reside in Utah and that the probation may be transferred out of state. The terms of probation included a  physcosexual analysis and completion of any recommended treatment. Anderson is also prohibited from accessing the internet during his probation.