May 13, 2021 – Washington Co., Wi – Washington County sheriff’s investigators arrested a 29-year-old man on Tuesday, May 11 on numerous felony child sex offenses after serving a search warrant at his residence in the Town of Germantown.
Washington County sheriff’s investigators received information from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) indicating that unlawful images had been downloaded at a specific residence in the Town of Germantown at which point an investigation was opened. Investigators learned a 29-year-old man, who recently changed his name, resided at the residence and was wanted out of the State of Louisiana on several felony counts of bank fraud and theft.
Washington County sheriff’s investigators, with the assistance of personnel from the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, executed the search warrant on Tuesday morning. Over 1,500 videos and images of sexually explicit material involving underage victims were located on the initial screening of the suspect’s electronic devices.
Investigators uncovered the suspect had started an online relationship with a boy, who was 12 years old at the time, and lived in another state for the past five years. This relationship started when the two would play video games together and progressed to an online sexual relationship over a several-year period. In the beginning, the suspect even developed false social media accounts posing as young females to obtain explicit images from the victim. During this relationship, there were well over one thousand explicit videos and pictures exchanged between the two. They had plans to meet in person on July 5.
The suspect appeared in Washington County Circuit Court on Wednesday where he was charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography. He appeared before the Honorable Judge Pouros where he received a $150,000 cash bail. He remains in custody at this time. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office is not releasing his name at this point as more charges relating to child enticement will be filed. Upon the completion of this case, he will be extradited to the State of Louisiana.
Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis would like to use this case to demonstrate the importance of parent’s involvement in their children’s online activities.
“The sad reality is that there are predators out there who victimize the vulnerable. This case illustrates the classic grooming behavior that the predators deploy on their victims. This started as an online gaming relationship that transformed over time into a dangerous sexual relationship. These predators are master manipulators and over time they gain the trust of the vulnerable and exploit them. We implore all parents to be active and involved in their children’s online activities. Finally, I am grateful that there is an entire ICAC network that works cooperatively every day to ensure these dangerous predators are brought to justice; I am proud that our agency is part of the ICAC Task Force. People like this do not belong living alongside us in our communities and thankfully, he no longer will be.”