ISLE OF WIGHT, Va. (WAVY) — A woman who Isle of Wight deputies say was secretly taking nude pictures of spray tanning women is wanted on child pornography charges after one of the victims was identified as a juvenile.
Deputies say they have 14 charges out for Michelle Putnam for production and distribution of child pornography.
“We are doing something, things behind the scenes to try and locate her,” said Isle of Wight Lieutenant Tommy Potter.
Isle of Wight investigators raided Putnam’s Carrollton apartment in the 1000 block of Rivers Arch a couple of weeks ago while investigating a potential relationship between Putnam and Gregory Wacks, a Carrollton man arrested on child pornography charges.
They say they found spray tanning equipment inside, and dozens of naked photos of woman who had no idea they were in front of a camera. The women were getting spray tans from Putnam, and investigators say the photos were shared to several websites.
Some of the spray tanning sessions were held at her home and others at two businesses in Newport News, Knot so Zen on Pilot House Road and A Polished Life on Thimble Shoals, where Putnam was leasing space.
Before she was charged, deputies had to match up the photos to the victims.
“One of those individuals that were we able to positively identify was a juvenile at the time that she had a spray tan done,” Potter added. “We were able to identify seven or eight people from the group of pictures we had.”
Deputies say the women weren’t very happy when they heard they were secretly photographed.
“There was disappointment, anger and a feeling of violation,” Potter said. “They thought their privacy was intact when they go in for these services.”
Putnam has been charged with seven counts of distribution of child pornography and seven counts of production of child pornography.
Deputies are now looking for her.
“The day we served the search warrant she was actively in the process of packing and moving, and made statements to investigators that she was possibly moving out of the area,” Potter added. “She may still be in the Hampton Roads area, or she may have gone some other place.”