Fired Eaton County jail employee faces 14 child pornography charges in Ionia County

IONIA — A now-former Eaton County jail employee faces 14 criminal charges related to possessing and distributing child pornography.

Ethan Eversman, 24, of Ionia, was arraigned on charges on Tuesday, one day after the Eaton County Sheriff's Office fired him. He faces four counts of distributing or promoting child pornography, three counts of aggravated possession and seven counts of using a computer to commit a crime.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

A message was left seeking comment from Walter Downes, the Ionia County public defender who represented Eversman at his arraignment.

Michigan State Police investigated Eversman and, in a news release, said their work began after a tip through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Police collected evidence from Eversman during an interview and a subsequent search of his Ionia home led police to additional evidence, according to the release.

Jerri Nesbitt, a spokesperson for the Eaton County Sheriff's Office, confirmed Eversman was fired by the county Monday. He worked as a corrections officer.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 15. The hearing will determine if there's enough evidence against Eversman for the case to move forward.

Contact reporter Matt Mencarini at 517-377-1026 or mjmencarini@lsj.com.