70-Year-Old Wisconsin Man Arrested in Rock County After Investigators Find Child Sexual Abuse Material on Multiple Devices
MADISON, Wisconsin — A 70-year-old man from the Town of Spring Valley has been arrested following a major child exploitation investigation in Rock County, where detectives say they found child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices.
Search Warrant Leads to Arrest
According to the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, the arrest came after members of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force executed a search warrant on August 28 at a home in the 3000 block of County Highway T in Spring Valley.
The search was carried out by the Rock County SWAT team, which seized several digital devices for forensic analysis. Investigators said the devices contained child sexual abuse material, including both real and virtual child pornography.
The man, whose name has not yet been released, faces 10 counts of possession of child pornography and two counts of possession of virtual child pornography, according to court records. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance Tuesday at the Rock County Jail Court.
DOJ Warns of Rising Online Exploitation Cases
In a statement released alongside the arrest, the Wisconsin Department of Justice said the number of online exploitation cases in the state continues to rise. Officials warned that cases involving sextortion, a form of digital blackmail in which victims are coerced into sending sexual material or money, have increased significantly in 2025.
The Wisconsin ICAC Task Force reported receiving nearly 400 CyberTips linked to sextortion so far this year — 170 more than during the same period in 2024. Those figures do not include reports made directly to local police departments.
In 2024, the task force handled around 11,000 total tips statewide, an increase of nearly 4,000 from 2022, highlighting the growing threat of online child exploitation.
Law Enforcement Emphasizes Vigilance
Officials encouraged parents and guardians to monitor their children’s online activity, use privacy controls, and report any suspicious digital behavior to law enforcement.
The Wisconsin DOJ reiterated that it remains committed to investigating and prosecuting those who exploit minors online, emphasizing collaboration between local police, federal agencies, and community partners.
Anyone with information related to online exploitation or sextortion can contact the Wisconsin Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force through icac.wi.gov or report tips directly through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline at cybertipline.org.
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