Editor's Note: Readers may find the details in this story disturbing.
A D.C. gym owner was arrested Tuesday and accused of distributing child sex abuse materials while referring to himself as a “pedophile” to an undercover FBI employee, according to an arrest warrant.
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WATCH HEREMichael Everts, 48, is the owner of FIT Personal Training in Dupont Circle. In 2014, he was profiled by the Washington Blade, and his gym was described as “the oldest personal training gym in Dupont,” founded in 2004.
Documents filed in connection with Everts’ arrest indicate the FBI agents who took him into custody on child pornography charges have been putting together a case for months.
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SIGN UP According to the arrest warrant, the FBI was alerted to him last July, when an employee of a location-based hookup app, Sniffies, told them Everts actively sought underage males.
Someone described as an online covert employee (OCE) of the FBI contacted Everts through a different app, Telegram, identifying himself as a father.
Everts allegedly said, “How old is your son?”
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The OCE replied, “About to turn 11.”
Everts allegedly answered, “Hottest age ever.”
They continued to converse through the app.
“My favorite ages are 9 to 12ish. Lots of hot kids in the NW area of DC,” Everts allegedly said.
According to an arrest warrant, the suspect forwarded photographs of prepubescent boys and eventually sent videos that appeared to show men sexually abusing children.
Authorities said Everts messaged: “Now it’s 1000% verified. I’m a pedophile. I sent kiddie porn.....to protect us both.”
The two made plans to meet, settling on the Apple store in front of the Washington Convention Center on Tuesday, where Everts was quietly taken into custody.
After his arrest, Everts was ordered jailed until his next court appearance and provided with a public defender.
