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Press Release

Madison High School Teacher Charged with Attempting to Produce Child Pornography

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Wisconsin

MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging David M. Kruchten, 37, Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, with attempting to produce child pornography.  The indictment was returned yesterday by a federal grand jury, sitting in Madison, and was unsealed after Kruchten was arrested earlier today.

The indictment charges Kruchten with seven counts of attempting to use a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct.  The indictment alleges that he attempted to produce the child pornography in Wisconsin using hidden recording devices on October 27, 2019, and on January 20, 2019. 

Kruchten, a teacher at Madison East High School, was arrested this morning at his home.  He will make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Madison today.

 “My office is committed to vigorously investigating those who target children and prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney Blader.

“This indictment alleges criminal conduct that is an unconscionable betrayal of trust,” said Attorney General Kaul. “Thank you to everyone whose hard work resulted in today’s arrest. We will continue working to ensure that there is full accountability for the crimes alleged in this case.”

If convicted, Kruchten faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each count.  The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, the Minneapolis Police Department, and the Cottage Grove Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney 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.

Updated January 30, 2020

Topic
Project Safe Childhood