Madison County Foster Parent Pleads Guilty to Sexual Battery of Child
Madison County, MS - Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced today that Michael Anthony Lee pleaded guilty to Sexual Battery of his foster daughter. Lee, 41, was living in Canton with his wife. They were licensed foster parents through Mississippi Department of Human Services when the 15 year old child was placed in their home. Shortly after her placement, Michael Anthony Lee began engaging in sexual contact with the victim. The abuse continued throughout the victim's six month placement in Lee's home. It was discovered after the child was moved to another foster family in north Mississippi. The new foster parent discovered that Lee had sent sexually explicit text messages to the victim.
Child Protective Services was immediately notified, and a joint investigation was initiated involving both CPS and the Madison County Sheriff’s Department. Investigators executed a search warrant on Lee’s phone on found pornographic images of the victim on his phone.
Michael Anthony Lee faces up to 30 years on the charge of Sexual Battery, all of which will be served day-for-day. He will not be eligible for early release or parole on this charge. He will also have to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life. Lee will be sentenced on January 31, 2023 by Circuit Judge Bradley Mills.
District Attorney Bramlett stated “Children in our foster system have already had to deal with so much. For a foster parent to then sexually abuse a child in their care is beyond horrible. I commend CPS, the Madison Sheriff’s Office, and the assistant district attorneys in our office for their outstanding work on this case which resulted in this guilty plea. I applaud the courage and strength of this child. The District Attorney’s Office will be seeking the maximum sentence of thirty years for this criminal.”
DEFENDANT:
MICHAEL ANTHONY LEE
DOB: 01/01/1982
