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| WELS flack Joel Hochmuth has been able to get a lot of news stories published about WELS. All the Hochmuth posts are linked here. |
Guilty plea expected for former Lutheran official in child porn case - JSOnline:
Waukesha - A former Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod official is expected to enter a guilty plea Friday to possession of child pornography.
Joel W. Hochmuth was scheduled for a jury trial next week, but his attorney, Paul Bucher, said during a court hearing Thursday that a plea agreement had been reached.
Hochmuth, who was the communications director for the synod, was charged in November with three counts of possession of child pornography.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hochmuth would plead guilty to one count and two counts would be dismissed but considered when Hochmuth is sentenced, Bucher said.
Hochmuth, 52, of Waukesha, was fired by the synod one day after the charges were filed against him in Waukesha County Circuit Court.
Hochmuth is accused of using the Internet to download images of boys engaged in sexual acts with other youths and men, according to the criminal complaint.
Investigators found several hundred images on his home computer and 310 photographs and 38 videos on a thumb drive at his WELS office in Wauwatosa, the complaint says.
Hochmuth denied downloading any explicit material while at work, or creating his own pornography, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Hochmuth told investigators that he had been "struggling with an addiction to viewing pornographic photos and videos of young boys in sexually explicit poses," and that he had gone to counseling after his wife caught him viewing them.
He was investigated by the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force after an undercover agent identified a residence in Waukesha that was distributing child pornography, according to the complaint. Hochmuth was using a software program that allows individuals to connect to each other's computers and browse and download files as well as chat online, according to the complaint.
Hochmuth faces up to 15 years in prison and 10 years of extended supervision if he is convicted.
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| Are we supposed to believe that NO ONE at WELS Headquarters knew what was going on? Who failed to report him to authorities "the first time" - whenever that was? |
'via Blog this'
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LutherRocks has left a new comment on your post "Guilty plea expected for former WELS Lutheran offi...":
"According to the complaint, Hochmuth told investigators that he had been "struggling with an addiction to viewing pornographic photos and videos of young boys in sexually explicit poses," and that he had gone to counseling after his wife caught him viewing them."
This incriminates the counselling entity.
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Former Lutheran church official close to plea deal in child porn case
http://fox6now.com/2012/03/08/bond-set-at-20000-in-hochmuth-child-porn-case/
WAUKESHA — A former Lutheran church official, accused of having child pornography, is close to a plea deal. Joel Hochmuth was in Waukesha County court Thursday, March 8th.
A plea deal is in place, but Hochmuth’s attorney said they needed more time to review it. A plea hearing is now set for Friday morning, March 9th.
Prosecutors say Hochmuth had pictures and videos of young boys in sex acts. He was fired from his post at the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, where he served as Director of Communications.
Hochmuth was charged with three counts of possessing child pornography, after a sting operation by the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Task Force found child porn images and videos on Hochmuth’s personal and work computers, as well as thumb drives.
Hochmuth was arrested at his home in Waukesha.
According to the criminal complaint in the case, an undercover FBI agent used peer-to-peer software which allowed him to connect with Hochmuth’s computer and browse for files, and says Hochmuth was sharing child porn. The agent says he also chatted with Hochmuth online, and Hochmuth allegedly told him he likes pictures of males 10 years of age or older.
The criminal complaint states that during his arrest, Hochmuth stated he has been struggling with an addiction to viewing pornographic photos and videos of young boys in sexually explicit poses, but denies ever creating his own pornography. The complaint also says Hochmuth’s wife caught him looking at the images once, and says they went to counseling as a result.
Officials removed a desktop computer and a laptop computer from Hochmuth’s home, and the criminal complaint states Hochmuth said what would be found on his home computer was nothing compared to what they would find in his office. A search warrant was executed at Hochmuth’s office, and FBI agents found a thumb drive, containing 310 child porn images, and 38 videos. Agents say there were several hundred images found on Hochmuth’s home computer.
Hochmuth is accused of possessing and distributing child pornography online. He is to have no contact with minors, except his own child, and cannot use any device that can access the internet.
