Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictments

MADISON, WI—A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin sitting in Madison returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Madison Man Charged with Possessing Child Pornography

Alejandro Rodriquez Mora, 34, Madison, Wis., is charged with four counts of possessing a computer hard drive containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment alleges that he possessed the computer hard drives on January 12, 2011.

If convicted, Rodriquez Mora faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice - Division of Criminal Investigation; Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Homeland Security Investigations; and Madison Police Department. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith P. Duchemin.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Madison Man Charged with Gun Crime

Forest S. Shomberg, 47, Madison, Wis., is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges that on May 23, 2011, he possessed a 40 caliber semiautomatic handgun and 23 rounds of ammunition. If convicted, Shomberg faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.

Hayward Woman Charged with Misappropriating Veteran's Benefits

Karen C. Demain, 43, Hayward, Wis., is charged with misappropriating money coming into her control while serving as a Department of Veterans Affairs fiduciary for a military veteran beneficiary. The indictment alleges that she misappropriated such money from June 2006 to August 2009.

If convicted, Demain faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The charges against her are the result of an investigation by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson.

Two Charged with Illegal Re-Entry Into United States

In unrelated cases, Victor Herrera-Lopez, 26, a citizen of Mexico found in Beloit, Wis., and Jesus Almendarez-Castillo, also known as Roberto Montano-Montano, 48, a citizen of Mexico found in Watertown, Wis., are charged with illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported. The indictment alleges that Herrera-Lopez was found on November 6, 2010 and Almendarez-Castillo was found on May 3, 2011. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The charges against them are the result of investigations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution of these cases has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter M. Jarosz.