United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on Sept. 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 Sept. 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.
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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
