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. A charge is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Ridgeway Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

Ralph Bennett, 56, Ridgeway, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a computer hard drive containing depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment alleges that he possessed the computer hard drive on October 4, 2011.

If convicted, Bennett faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Ridgeway Police Department. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Connell.

Ellsworth Man Charged with Possession of Child Pornography

Sean P. May, 28, Ellsworth, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing two computer hard drives that contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment alleges that he possessed the computer hard drives on February 8, 2012.

If convicted, May faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin F. Burke.

This indictment, and the Bennett indictment, were 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 and Drug Crimes

Chad Ruenger, 33, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing marijuana with intent to distribute. He is also charged with possessing three handguns during a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that he possessed the marijuana and the handguns on May 7, 2012.

If convicted, Ruenger faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison on the marijuana charge and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in federal prison on the gun charge, which would be served consecutively with any other prison term imposed. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation; and Dodge County Sheriff’s Department. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea.