Salem, Wisconsin Man Indicted for Possession of Child Pornography
| U.S. Attorney’s Office December 11, 2009 |
United States Attorney Michelle L. Jacobs announced that Jeffrey S. Schroeder, 53, from the Town of Salem, Wisconsin, was indicted on December 8, 2009, for two counts of possession of child pornography. This case was initiated after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) forwarded a Cyber Tipline Report to the Wisconsin Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. ICAC investigated the matter, which ultimately lead to the execution of a federal search warrant on September 1, 2009, at Schroeder’s residence in Salem, Wisconsin.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that on or about December 27, 2008, and on or about September 1, 2009, Schroeder knowingly possessed child pornography involving an identifiable minor. An identifiable minor means a person whose image as a minor was used in creating, adapting, or modifying the visual depiction; and who is recognizable as an actual person by the person’s face, likeness, or other distinguishing characteristic. If convicted of the charges in the indictment of possession of child pornography, Schroeder faces up to 10 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release on each count.
This case was the result of a joint investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia. Assistant United States Attorney Penelope L. Coblentz is prosecuting the case.
According to United States Attorney Michelle L. Jacobs, the “Department of Justice has made the protection of our nation’s children a top priority through Project Safe Childhood, and prosecutions such as this further this priority.”
The public is cautioned that an indictment is merely the formal method of charging an individual and does not constitute evidence of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until such time, if ever, the government establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.