Senior US Air Force Member Investigated Over Child Sex Abuse Images: Report

A U.S. embassy staffer who authorities have accused of possessing and distributing child sex abuse material is reportedly a high-ranking member of the United States Air Force.

The suspect at the center of the case is U.S. Lt. Col. Michael Morris, according to a report Tuesday by BBC. He reportedly worked as an assistant military attaché at the embassy in the UK.

Military.com reached out to the Air Force and the embassy for comment.

Last month, multiple publications reported that in August, an official at the U.S. embassy in the UK left the country on a civilian flight without local police questioning him amid accusations that another person sent him abusive material.

Publications reported that authorities allegedly found materials related to an investigation at his London home.

The UK government said at the time: “We expect all foreign diplomats in the UK to abide by our laws, in the same way we expect all UK diplomats to do so when posted overseas.”

Suspect and Brother Involved in Investigation

American authorities questioned him after investigators alleged his brother, Benjamin Morris, 33, shared child abuse material with him. Benjamin Morris is facing trial in Illinois for the possession and dissemination of child sex abuse material, per the BBC.

Dora Villareal, the Rock Island County State Attorney, told the outlet that the allegations against Morris relate to a period between March and April 2026. The BBC said Benjamin denies the charges.

“Charges have been preferred against Lt. Col. Michael Morris, currently assigned to the Air Force District of Washington,” a spokesperson for the Air Force told the BBC.

“The charges and evidence will be reviewed to determine whether the case should be tried by court-martial,” they added, saying “charges are merely allegations and the Department of the Air Force member is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”

The spokesperson also said Michael Morris will face a military hearing in November at Joint Base Andrews near Washington D.C., and that he will only enter a plea if the matter is referred to court-martial.

The Department of Defense (DOD) does not track the total number of active-duty US military personnel convicted of child abuse charges, nor does the Air Force. There have been recent high-profile cases in the service and other departments that have blunted trust in the military.

Overall, a DOD survey recently showed that the number of sexual assault cases across the armed forces decreased, referencing cases within the military rather than between members of the military and civilians. Cases involving children were not surveyed, either.