Jackson, MS- A Laurel man has been arrested and charged with possession of child pornography, announced Attorney General Jim Hood and Laurel Police Chief Walter Martin, Sr today.

Michael Lee Gage, age 51, of 1325 N. 1st Avenue, was arrested Monday, March 29 by investigators with the Laurel Police Department, assisted by investigators with the Attorney General’s Cyber Crime Division.

Gage was charged with one count possession of child porn and booked into the Laurel jail on a $1 million bond.

The arrest was made as part of the Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, of which the Laurel Police Department is a member.

“The Laurel Police Department takes the crime of Child Pornography very serious,” said Chief Martin. “This crime violates the victim every time the image of that child is viewed. Laurel Police Department is working hard to combat this crime. The new technology has revealed to us numerous people downloading child porn. It may take some time, but were going after each and every one of them.”

“This union of forces is going to be powerful in our fight against perverts and predators,” said Attorney General Jim Hood. “We really appreciate Chief Martin and his officers for attending the task force training and for all their hard work on this case.”

If convicted, Gage faces up to 40 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC). As with all cases, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.