The college friend of John Grisham who inspired the author to claim American men are wrongly being sent to prison for watching child porn - sparking international outrage - was caught sharing sexually explicit images of girls younger than 12 with other internet users, it has emerged. Michael B. Holleman, 59 - who graduated from law at the University of Mississippi with Grisham in 1981 - was arrested in 1997 after sending 13 child porn images featuring girls under 18 - some younger than 12 and depicting intercourse - to an undercover agent in Canada, who then tipped off the FBI.
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Novelist and lawyer John Grisham, 59, sparked outrage this week by claiming men are wrongly sent to prison for watching child porn
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He referenced a friend from college who drunkenly watched child porn one night but was sent to prison after a FBI sting
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The friend has now been named as Mississippi lawyer Michael B. Holleman
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Holleman was arrested in 1997 sending 13 sexually explicit photos of underage girls to an undercover agent
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He was sentenced to 18 months prison and disbarred
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Grisham wrote a letter of recommendation for Holleman as part of a petition to enable Holleman to practice law again
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Grisham has since said he 'regrets making the comments' and apologized
On May 19, 1998, @placeholder reported to a federal correctional institution, but was released after 15 months after showing evidence of his rehabilitation.