A popular YouTube personality, known to his thousands of followers as “Mr. Crafty Pants,” is behind bars after a shocking arrest on nearly 30 charges related to child sexual abuse material.
Michael David Booth, 39, was taken into custody at his Prospect, Kentucky home on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.
The investigation began after law enforcement in Kentucky received a tip that a user on the messaging app Kik was sharing explicit files containing children.
Authorities eventually traced the activity to an account allegedly belonging to Booth.
According to court documents, the illicit files were shared from his account over a three-day period, from August 5 to August 7, 2025, as per Fox 56 News.
To confirm the account belonged to Booth, investigators executed a search warrant on the Kik account. They reportedly uncovered two “selfie-type” photos of Booth himself, which police say placed him directly behind the account used for the crimes.
According to police reports, Booth possessed six explicit photos of minors. Three of these photos depicted children under the age of 12, and three showed teenagers.
Police also said that the files of younger children were shared on at least 10 occasions, while the files of teenagers were distributed at least 15 times.
Booth now faces the following charges after his arrest:
- 10 counts of distributing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor under age 12.
- 15 counts of distributing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor over age 12 but under age 18.
- Additional counts for possession of the same materials.
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The arrest of the YouTube star brought a massive police presence to Booth's normally quiet street, alarming his neighbors. Laura Nash, who lives across the street, described the unsettling scene.
“So we walked out our front door on Wednesday to a very heavy police presence,” Nash said. “My heart dropped. Felt sick to my stomach. It was gut-wrenching and eye-opening.”
Adding to the community's unease was a Halloween decoration in Booth’s front yard that read, “I smell children,” a detail neighbors found deeply disturbing in light of the charges.
Another neighbor, Lindsay Smart, expressed the shock shared by many, reminding everyone that danger can hide in plain sight.
“You feel like you know your neighbors, but what goes on behind closed doors… I guess we never know,” Smart said. “It’s sickening, it’s disgusting, and I’m glad he got caught.”
Booth appeared in Jefferson County District Court on Thursday, October 24, and during the hearing, he entered a plea of not guilty on all charges.
The judge set his bond at $100,000 cash and imposed strict conditions for his release, as reported by WDRB
Additionally, Booth is ordered to have no contact with children and is prohibited from accessing the internet or any social media platforms.
He remains held at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, and his next day in court is scheduled for Friday, October 31, for a preliminary hearing.
Booth’s YouTube channel, "Mr. Crafty Pants," which boasts over 594,000 subscribers, has been inactive for over four months.
The channel, along with his associated Facebook and Instagram accounts, featured family-friendly do-it-yourself craft tutorials, making the serious nature of the charges a stark contrast to his public image.
Authorities have stated that the investigation is ongoing. For updates on this story and other high-profile true crime cases sign up for our free newsletter here.
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