ORG. STORY:

A Louisville man known online as “Mr. Crafty Pants” has been arrested and charged in a child pornography investigation, according to local authorities.

Investigators say Michael David Booth, a well-known social media influencer, is accused of possessing and distributing explicit material involving minors. Booth, recognized for his arts and crafts tutorials using smart cutting machines, has built a large following online with over 500,000 subscribers on YouTube and hundreds of thousands more across Facebook and Instagram.

The investigation reportedly began in August, when police received a report of illegal content being shared through the Kik messaging app. A subpoena later connected the account to Booth’s Norton Commons residence, leading to his arrest.

Detectives allege several files were found depicting minors — some younger than 12 years old — and that those files were shared multiple times.

Neighbors in the normally quiet Norton Commons community said they were shocked to see the heavy police presence during the arrest.

“It’s terrifying as a parent,” one resident shared. “You never expect something like that to happen right in your neighborhood.”

Booth appeared in court Thursday, where a judge set his bond at $100,000. If released, he will be placed on home incarceration and prohibited from accessing the internet.

This report was compiled using information gathered from law enforcement statements, official press releases, and publicly available news sources.

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UPDATE 11/1/25

Case of Norton Commons YouTuber Accused of Child Pornography Moves to Grand Jury

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The case involving a Norton Commons man known online as “Mr. Crafty Pants” has officially been sent to a grand jury for review.

39-year-old Michael Booth was taken into custody on October 22 after investigators alleged he possessed and distributed child pornography through the messaging app Kik back in August.

According to court documents, a search warrant revealed multiple files showing minors under the age of 12 being shared at least a dozen times. Additional files involving minors over 12 were reportedly distributed more than a dozen times as well.

Booth, who once ran a popular YouTube channel with thousands of followers, has since had his account removed from the platform.

During Friday’s court appearance, Booth’s attorney chose to waive the preliminary hearing, allowing the case to move forward to a Jefferson County grand jury.

Booth remains in custody on a $100,000 bond, with the grand jury expected to hear the case during the first week of December..