Probation recommended in 'Money Mike' trial

HOUSTON -- A 63-year-old Friendswood man known as 'Money Mike,' who was convicted of sexual assault of a child, may stay out of prison.

A Galveston County jury has recommended 10 years probation for Michael Wayne McIntosh. The judge in the case could still give him 180 days in jail. McIntosh could have been sentenced to up to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutors say he paid more than a half dozen girls between $300 to more than $1,000 for spending time with him repeatedly at his home during the summer of 2013. The girls, some as young as 14 at the time, eventually nicknamed him "Money Mike." They say he always paid in cash and always with $100 bills.

Prosecutor Adam Poole told the jury during closing arguments that "...it's obvious what happened. It's obvious he's guilty." Poole said details in the statements of each of the girls who alleged they were paid for sexual favors are so similar they could not be fabricated.

But McIntosh's defense attorney calls the girls liars. Attorney Charles Thompson says the girls lied not only to McIntosh about their ages but also initially about whether McIntosh did anything inappropriate with them.

Thompson called police work in this case "shoddy," insisting detectives found no incriminating text messages, pictures, phone calls or social media posts. "It's a not guilty verdict, because they don't get to beyond a reasonable doubt," Thompson said.

McIntosh still faces 3 other criminal charges, two of which are sexual assault of a child, connected with this case. Those haven't yet been tried. Prosecutors haven't decided yet if they will try him on those.

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