Former part-time Grand Chute police CSO now facing federal child pornography charges | WLUK
Former part-time Grand Chute police CSO now facing federal child pornography charges | WLUK
Former part-time Grand Chute police CSO now facing federal child pornography charges
Casey Welk (Outagamie Co. Jail)
(WLUK) -- A former part-time Grand Chute police community service officer previously charged with possession of child pornography is now facing federal charges.
A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against 23-year-old Casey Welk of Appleton.
According to the indictment, in December of 2019, Welk knowingly distributed pornographic images of prepubescent children.
Welk is charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography. Each count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years of incarceration in federal prison.
Last month, Welk pleaded not guilty to ten child pornography possession charges in state court.
According to that case's criminal complaint, an online tip claimed child porn images were posted to Instagram. Outagamie County Sheriff's officials tracked the account to Welk's address. After tracing his IP address deputies found Welk allegedly shared and received child pornography through Instagram.
Welk told officer he had trouble with pornography, and his viewing progressed from adult porn to child porn. He also called his trouble with porn "pathetic" saying he was relieved to get caught, according to the criminal complaint.
Welk worked for Grand Chute police as a community service officer at the time state charges were filed in February. He resigned days afterwards, the department said.
Appleton Man Indicted for Distributing Child Pornography
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on September 15, 2020, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Casey Welk (age: 23) of Appleton, Wisconsin.
According to the indictment, in December of 2019, Welk knowingly distributed pornographic images of prepubescent children. Welk is charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography, contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252A(a)(2)(A). Each count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years of incarceration in federal prison. Welk was arraigned on September 24, 2020 before the federal district court in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
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.
This case was investigated by the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office and will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alexander E. Duros.
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.
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The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice. Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.
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For further information contact: Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales
Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov
(414) 297-1700
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