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Rocky R. Sonkowsky, Oconto County Man, Sentenced to Over 20 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography
Wisconsin – In a shocking case of child abuse and exploitation, Rocky R. Sonkowsky, a 33-year-old Oconto County man, has been sentenced to 260 months in federal prison for producing child pornography.
According to court records, Sonkowsky committed the heinous crime in Summer 2021 while babysitting his girlfriend’s infant child. During that time, he sexually assaulted the child and captured 21 images of the abuse on his smartphone.
The images were discovered when police began investigating Sonkowsky for his online activities, which included downloading child pornography and engaging in online communications with underage children.
When sentencing Sonkowsky, Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach noted the horrendous nature of the crime and the horrific abuse of trust inherent in Sonkowsky’s criminal acts. Judge Griesbach found a strong need to protect the public from Sonkowsky, a self-described pedophile.
As part of his sentence, Sonkowsky will spend the remainder of his life on supervised release after completing his federal prison sentence. He will also have to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and local law enforcement agencies worked together to investigate and prosecute Sonkowsky.
The case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, the Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Oconto Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Contact Information:
Public Information Officer: Kenneth.Gales@usdoj.gov | 414-297-1700
Key Facts
- State: Wisconsin
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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