Skip to main content
Press Release

Wisconsin Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Wisconsin

United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger announced today that Chief United States District Judge Pamela Pepper sentenced Christopher L. Childs (48), of Hartford, Wisconsin, to 27 years in prison for sex trafficking.

On October 3, 2019, Childs entered a guilty plea to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1) & 1591(b)(1).  According to court records and filings in the case, Childs: (1) operated as a trafficker in the Milwaukee area and elsewhere since approximately 1996; (2) recruited adult females and at least one minor female to work for him; (3) caused the females to perform prostitution dates using fraud, coercion, and, at times, force and threats of force; (4) required his victims to provide the proceeds of prostitution dates to him; and (5) transported victims to strip clubs and other locations inside and outside of Wisconsin, including clubs in Dodge County, Wisconsin, known as TNT and the Hardware Store.

Before imposing sentence, Chief Judge Pepper heard from six of the victims at the hearing or in written impact statements.  In imposing sentence, Chief Judge Pepper noted that Childs destroyed and dehumanized others for a feeling of control and for his own financial gain.  Chief Judge Pepper explained that this was one of the most serious offenses the court had seen, as Childs victimized “person after person” for an extended period.  Chief Judge Pepper also expressed the need for the court’s sentence to deter other traffickers from similar conduct.

United States Attorney Krueger commented, “This 27-year sentence reflects that sex trafficking is a horrific, dehumanizing crime.  The prosecution was only possible because some of Childs’s victims had the courage to bring the truth to light.  This case also resulted from extraordinary cooperation among work of federal, state, and local law enforcement.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Racine Police Department, United States Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Hartford Police Department, United States Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Deposition Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, Milwaukee Police Department, and Wisconsin Department of Justice –Division of Criminal Investigation.

The case has prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erica J. Lounsberry and Richard G. Frohling.  

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.

 

#   #   #

 

For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales

Kenneth.Gales@yahoo.com

(414) 297-1700

 

Follow us on Twitter

 

Updated October 21, 2020