Timothy M. O’Shea, the United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Joshua Sherwood has been sentenced to 195 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography. The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley and will be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Sherwood had previously pleaded guilty to this charge on November 4, 2024.
Sherwood, a resident of Arpin, Wisconsin, was found guilty of contacting minor girls across the country shortly after his release from state prison for possessing child pornography. He manipulated these minors into producing sexually explicit images by sending them money and items from their Amazon wish lists. When the victims refused further requests, Sherwood threatened to send the images to their parents or harm himself.
Judge Conley remarked on Sherwood's willingness to exploit his young victims and noted his apparent lack of awareness regarding the damage he caused. "The defendant’s descent was so far," Judge Conley stated, indicating it would be challenging for Sherwood to change.
The investigation leading to Sherwood's conviction involved several agencies including the Smyrna Police Department in Tennessee, Homeland Security Investigations, Marshfield Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and New Lisbon Correctional Institution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local resources.
