Walworth, Wisconsin Man Charged with Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography
| U.S. Attorney’s Office March 24, 2011 |
James L. Santelle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Robert W. Blagg Jr. (age 29), of Walworth, Wisconsin, with possession and distribution of child pornography. According to the indictment, Blagg is alleged to have used a computer to possess images and distribute child pornography. If convicted of the possession charge, Blagg faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. If convicted of the distribution charge, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. Blagg also faces a minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release.
Blagg was arrested on a criminal complaint and appeared in court on February 23, 2011. He entered a plea of not guilty and was ordered detained pending trial.
The case stems from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Burlington Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Penelope L. Coblentz.
According to United States Attorney Santelle, “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 that priority.” He added: “The message from this case is that those involved in the receipt or distribution of child pornography will be prosecuted and will face real time in federal prison.”
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.