Tetzlaff Timothy J., Child Sex Abuse, Wisconsin 2021

A 59-year-old man from the Town of Mishicot, Wisconsin, has been convicted of a decades-long crime spree involving the sexual abuse of at least eight children.

Timothy J. Tetzlaff, a resident of the Town of Mishicot, pleaded guilty in March 2021 to two federal charges: Transportation of a Minor with the Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity and Production of Child Pornography. The crimes date back to 1987.

The allegations against Tetzlaff revealed a pattern of abuse that spanned multiple decades. He would often take minors on camping trips throughout the United States and Canada, where he would assault them multiple times during the journeys. He also abused the children at his home in the Town of Mishicot. Law enforcement discovered digital images of one of the victims on a digital camera belonging to Tetzlaff, which he had surreptitiously photographed while the child slept in 2015.

A victim came forward in October 2020 to report the abuse, prompting an investigation by the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Office and the Green Bay office of the FBI. Following his arrest, several additional victims came forward to report being abused by Tetzlaff.

Senior United States District Judge William C. Griesbach sentenced Tetzlaff to 30 years in federal prison on June 28, 2021. The judge noted the 'horrendous nature of the crimes' and Tetzlaff's pattern of preying on children. Griesbach stated that the 30-year prison sentence was lengthy enough to protect the community given Tetzlaff's advanced age. Upon completion of his prison sentence, Tetzlaff will serve the remainder of his life on supervised release.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Attorney's Office. The project marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwi/pr/town-mishicot-man-sentenced-30-years-federal-prison-following-decades-sexually-abusing