Stephen Hans Jenkins, 40, of Trempealeau, Wisconsin, was sentenced to over 20 years in federal prison for transporting child pornography. U.S. District Judge William M. Conley handed down a sentence of 246 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Jenkins pleaded guilty to the charge on October 28, 2025.
Jenkins had been a long-time family friend to three minors referred to as Minors A, B, and C. He sexually assaulted Minor A and possessed explicit images of Minors B and C on his iPad. After Minor A discovered these images and contacted family members, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jenkins’s home and found hundreds of sexually explicit images involving minors.
During sentencing, Judge Conley remarked that Jenkins held a position of trust with his victims and exploited this relationship to “groom” them. Judge Conley described Jenkins as “a serial predator who was calculated, manipulative, and a danger to minors.”
The U.S. Department of Justice notes that individuals who produce child pornography often groom their victims by establishing trust and gradually sexualizing contact.
“Jenkins is a repeat child sex offender who represents a profound ongoing danger to children,” said Interim U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma. “Our office is dedicated to prosecuting anyone who creates and circulate depictions of child sexual exploitation and violence.”
Before the incidents involving Minors A, B, and C, Jenkins had prior convictions for groping a 10-year-old boy and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.
Interim U.S. Attorney Elgersma commended the FBI, Trempealeau Police Department, Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and Ogden (Utah) Police Department for their roles in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted the case.
This case was part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative that coordinates federal, state, and local efforts against child sexual exploitation via the Internet and works to identify victims nationwide. More information about PSC can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
