[BOISE] – Attorney General Raúl Labrador has announced that Michael Thomas Baird, 35, was convicted of two (2) counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Child by Possession of Sexually Exploitative Material. The Possession of Sexually Exploitative Material is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Baird was sentenced on March 13, 2025, by District Judge Cody L. Brower.

“Removing these predators from our communities is a top priority for our office,” said Attorney General Labrador.  “Our ICAC prosecutors and investigators work tirelessly to deliver justice for these tragically young victims of abuse.  I’m continually grateful for the broad partnerships that have been built across the state to protect kids and put these offenders behind bars.”

In July of 2024, the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit received a CyberTip that an account belonging to Baird had uploaded files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). On August 20, 2024, officers executed a search warrant on Baird’s home and seized various digital devices. Forensic examiners from the Office of the Attorney General were able to locate various files containing CSAM on devices seized during the search warrant. These files depicted predominately female children between three and eleven (3-11) years of age. Many of the images depicted children engaged in sex acts with adults. Baird was on probation for felony Aggravated Assault and felony Malicious Injury to Property at the time of his arrest.

Judge Brower sentenced Baird to a total of fifteen (15) years in prison. Baird will be eligible for parole after five (5) years, and he will have to register as a sex offender pursuant to Idaho law.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General James Haws. The lead investigator on the case was Korey Payne from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office who serves in the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit. The successful prosecution of this case was the result of a collaborative effort lead by the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit and assisted by various law enforcement agencies across the State, including the Preston Police Department, the Frankin County Sherrif’s Office, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Fish and Game, and the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.