MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Thomas E. Kerl, 39, Redgranite, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 262 months for distributing child pornography. This term of imprisonment is to be followed by 25 years of supervised release. Kerl pleaded guilty to this offense on February 25, 2021.
Starting in approximately 2018, Kerl began using multiple platforms to trade what Judge Conley called “extremely graphic images.” The defendant also engaged in disturbing chats about sexually assaulting children and admitted that if he had access to children, he would assault them.
Prior to this case, Kerl was convicted of repeatedly sexually assaulting two young children in Columbia County Circuit Court in 2001. Based on his prior convictions and the conduct in this case, Judge Conley found Kerl to be a danger to the community and said a long sentence was necessary to protect the public.
The charge against Kerl was the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.
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