Fox Valley Man Indicted for Child Pornography Production and Distribution
United States Attorney Gregory J. Haanstad of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on April 11, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted John D. Schaefer (age: 34) of Menasha and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on a count of production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a), and a count of distribution of child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2)(A).
The indictment alleges that on or about August 2, 2020, Schaefer “employed and used a minor” for the purpose of creating a “visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.” It further alleges that on or about September 21, 2021, Schaefer distributed a digital video depicting the sexual assault of a prepubescent child.
If convicted of the production charge, Schaefer faces a mandatory minimum 15 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment. He faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment on the distribution charge. He also faces up to a $250,000 fine on each count.
This case was investigated by the City of Menasha Police Department and the City of Oshkosh Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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 U.S. Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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