Austin Koeckeritz, a 29-year-old man from River Falls, Wisconsin, has been charged with a string of serious crimes, including sex and labor trafficking, production of child pornography, and money laundering.
A superseding nine-count indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, alleging that Koeckeritz used force to cause an adult to engage in forced labor and commercial sex acts between August 2020 and August 2022. The indictment also alleges that he recruited, enticed, transported, and maintained a minor, knowing she would be caused to engage in commercial sex acts, and that he produced child pornography using the minor.
The indictment charges Koeckeritz with forced labor, sex trafficking by force, sex trafficking of a minor, interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, transporting a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, producing child pornography, and three counts of money laundering.
Koeckeritz previously faced one count of forced labor in an indictment returned by the grand jury on January 12. He is currently being held in federal custody pending trial, which is scheduled for May 8 before U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson.
The forced labor charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, and the sex trafficking by force charge and the production of child pornography charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of life. The charge of interstate travel with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor carries a maximum penalty of 30 years, and the sex trafficking of a minor and transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life. The maximum penalty for each money laundering charge is 20 years.
The FBI Milwaukee Field Office and the River Falls Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Pierce County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Kraus for the Western District of Wisconsin and Trial Attorneys Slava Kuperstein and Julie Pfluger of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
The FBI is asking anyone with information about Austin Koeckeritz to contact the FBI Milwaukee Field Office at (414) 276-4684. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. An indictment is merely an allegation, and Austin Koeckeritz is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related Federal Cases
- Nicko Ray Rush II, Sex Trafficking of a Minor, MI 2017 · Michigan
- James E. Poole, Drug Trafficking, Wisconsin 2024 · Wisconsin
- Derrick Russell Hoff, Gun and Meth Trafficking, Wisconsin 2023 · Wisconsin
- Victor Pennington, Meth Trafficking, Wisconsin 2024 · Wisconsin
- Akira Salinas-Ruiz, Murder of 18-Month-Old, Wisconsin, 2006 · Wisconsin
Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Category: Human Trafficking|Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News