Royal Oak Gymnastics Photographer Pleads Guilty To Child Porn Charges

ROYAL OAK, MI — A Royal Oak gymnastics photographer pleaded guilty Thursday to child pornography charges, according to federal officials.

David Eric Yellen, 58, was charged with distribution and possession of child pornography after federal agents found more than 1,500 pictures of children on his home computer.

In the plea agreement, Yellen will face a sentence of between five and 20 years in prison and will be followed by a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life.

"Yellen, a well-known figure in the Michigan gymnastic community, was found to be distributing child sex abuse material and to have other questionable photos on his devices directly involving some of the gymnasts he worked alongside," Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan Cheyvoryea Gibson said. "Adults who work with and around our children are entrusted with the highest level of trust, and Yellen's conduct demonstrated his disregard for their protection."

Federal officials said the investigation started in May 2023 when an agent identified 14 files being transferred using names that were consistent with files showing the genitals of pre-pubescent girls.

Investigators determined that Yellen had worked as a photographer and videographer at multiple youth female gymnastics events in the past several years. Although he lived in Michigan, officials said Yellen traveled nationally as a gymnastics photographer and videographer.

When they searched his house in June 2023, they found hundreds of files of child pornography on his electronic devices, according to a criminal complaint.

Of the 1,500 photographs found on Yellen’s computer, at least 500 meet the federal standard for child pornography, according to a criminal complaint.

Yellen admitted to having child pornography on his electronic devices but denied uploading or downloading child pornography, according to a criminal complaint.

Yellen told investigators that he had downloaded child pornography 10 years ago but said that he did not know that the images could be shared by other people, according to a criminal complaint.

The criminal complaint said that Yellen’s hard drive had a folder entitled “BFK” for barefoot kids and agents said there were more than 200 images of children’s bare feet in the folder.