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Child Pornography Convict Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison
MADISON, Wis. – A repeat sex offender has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin announced Thursday.
The defendant, Joshua Sherwood, 34, of Arpin, began reaching out to minor girls across the country shortly after being released from state prison for possessing child pornography. He manipulated them into producing sexually explicit images for him by sending them money and items from their Amazon wish lists.
When the girls refused to send him additional explicit images, Sherwood threatened to either send the images he had to the victims’ parents or to kill himself, according to court documents.
The charge against Sherwood was the result of an investigation conducted by the Smyrna, Tenn. Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Marshfield Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and the New Lisbon Correctional Institution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
Judge William M. Conley observed that Sherwood was willing to directly exploit his young victims, seemingly enjoying the manipulation. The judge noted that Sherwood showed no awareness of the damage he caused and that his descent was so far, it will be difficult to change.
The investigation was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
The defendant will serve 195 months in federal prison followed by 25 years of supervised release. Sherwood pleaded guilty to the charge on November 4, 2024.
Defendant: Joshua Sherwood
Criminal Charges: Receiving Child Pornography
City and State: Arpin, Wisconsin
Date: November 4, 2024
Sentence: 195 months (16 years) in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release
Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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