Eagle River Man Charged with Child Pornography Crimes

MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that an indictment was unsealed today charging Ryan Shelton, 29, Eagle River, Wisconsin, with receiving and possessing child pornography.  The indictment was returned yesterday by a grand jury sitting in Madison.

The indictment alleges that on February 12, 2021, Shelton received a live stream video via Omegle that depicted a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  The indictment also alleges that on May 26, 2021, Shelton possessed visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and that at least one of the depictions involved a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. 

Shelton was arrested this morning at his home and appeared in U.S. District Court in Madison this afternoon.  He was ordered detained pending further proceedings. 

If convicted, Shelton faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison on the charge of receiving child pornography, and a maximum of 20 years on the possession charge.  He is also subject to a lifetime period of supervised release.

The charges against Shelton were the result of an investigation conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation assisted by the Vilas and Oneida County Sheriffs’ Offices.  Assistant U.S. Elizabeth Altman is handling the prosecution. 

You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.