Acting United States Attorney Richard G. Frohling of the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced that on Oct. 12, 2021, Natalie J. Ticho (age: 25) of Wausau, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach for distribution of child pornography.
According to court filings, on Nov. 17, 2020, undercover investigators received digital images of child pornography from an online user named “kiikii_24." “Kiikii_24" also engaged in explicit conversations concerning the sexual abuse of children with the undercover investigators. It was subsequently determined that “kiikii_24" was, in fact, Natalie J. Ticho. A search warrant was obtained for Ticho’s residence and electronic devices. A review of those items revealed hundreds of images of child pornography and several online accounts used for the purpose of obtaining and distributing illegal images.
At sentencing, Judge Griesbach noted the serious nature of the charge and the need for just punishment for such a “terrible crime." Following her release from prison, Ticho will spend ten years on supervised release. She will also be required to register as a sexual offender.
Ticho’s arrest and subsequent conviction were part of Operation Kick Boxer, a collaborative effort involving the Milwaukee Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and the Winnebago County Sheriff's Office.. The Wausau Police Department, the Marathon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Marathon County District Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.
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.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
