GREEN BAY - An Albany man who incited a minor female to send him sexually explicit photos of herself was sentenced Monday in federal court to 15 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release.
Gene B. Schneider, 52, used his cellphone and social media platforms to exchange texts, instant messages and sexually explicit images with underage girls located across Wisconsin, the United States and Great Britain, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney.
Schneider was arrested on April 5 after traveling to an Antigo hotel where he thought he would rendezvous with a 13-year-old girl.
Instead, he was met by Langlade County sheriff's deputies. Schneider led them on a high-speed chase through Langlade and Lincoln counties, eventually crashing his vehicle in Marathon County, according to the U.S. Attorney.
According to the plea agreement filed in court:
About a year before his arrest, Schneider began chatting online with an individual who identified herself as a 16-year-old virgin. After a sexually explicit chat he asked the individual to send him photos of her genitals.
The individual complied.
The images were still on his laptop computer which Schneider took with him when he traveled to Antigo.
Schneider was indicted in federal court in April for allegedly sexually exploiting a minor in May 2016. He faced a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence after pleading guilty to the charge in June.
Schneider's attorney, Krista Halla-Valdes, wrote the court that her client had prior armed robbery and burglary convictions stemming from a 1987 incident in Green County. However, he completed his prison sentence in 1999 and has had no new arrests until this year.
According to Halla-Valdes' memo:
Schneider worked for Colony Brands since November 2010, most recently as an assistant supervisor.
He told a pre-sentence investigator that he chatted with girls and women online, which he found easier to do than in person. Also, he said he has been unable to connect with women since being released from prison.
His relationship with family has been close, and he lived with his parents the past six years. They were shocked by his arrest.
Schneider is sorry for the shame and embarrassment he has caused his family and the harm to the victims of his offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Humble also recommended Schneider serve the mandatory 15 years.
Following his sentence, Schneider will have to register as a sex offender, which impacts where he can reside and will require him to update authorities as to his address, employment and appearance.
In sentencing Schneider, District Judge William Griesbach noted that Schneider's crime was serious and his punishment needs to deter him and others from sending sexual communications with minors via the internet.
The graphic nature of the images Schneider received and sent to teenage girls also warranted a substantial sentence, said Griesbach, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's office.
Schneider has been in custody since his arrest.
Schneider has felony charges pending in Marathon County Circuit Court of first-degree reckless endangerment and fleeing an officer.
Gene B. Schneider, 52, used his cellphone and social media platforms to exchange texts, instant messages and sexually explicit images with underage girls located across Wisconsin, the United States and Great Britain, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney.
Schneider was arrested on April 5 after traveling to an Antigo hotel where he thought he would rendezvous with a 13-year-old girl.
Instead, he was met by Langlade County sheriff's deputies. Schneider led them on a high-speed chase through Langlade and Lincoln counties, eventually crashing his vehicle in Marathon County, according to the U.S. Attorney.
According to the plea agreement filed in court:
About a year before his arrest, Schneider began chatting online with an individual who identified herself as a 16-year-old virgin. After a sexually explicit chat he asked the individual to send him photos of her genitals.
The individual complied.
The images were still on his laptop computer which Schneider took with him when he traveled to Antigo.
Schneider was indicted in federal court in April for allegedly sexually exploiting a minor in May 2016. He faced a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence after pleading guilty to the charge in June.
Schneider's attorney, Krista Halla-Valdes, wrote the court that her client had prior armed robbery and burglary convictions stemming from a 1987 incident in Green County. However, he completed his prison sentence in 1999 and has had no new arrests until this year.
According to Halla-Valdes' memo:
Schneider worked for Colony Brands since November 2010, most recently as an assistant supervisor.
He told a pre-sentence investigator that he chatted with girls and women online, which he found easier to do than in person. Also, he said he has been unable to connect with women since being released from prison.
His relationship with family has been close, and he lived with his parents the past six years. They were shocked by his arrest.
Schneider is sorry for the shame and embarrassment he has caused his family and the harm to the victims of his offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Humble also recommended Schneider serve the mandatory 15 years.
Following his sentence, Schneider will have to register as a sex offender, which impacts where he can reside and will require him to update authorities as to his address, employment and appearance.
In sentencing Schneider, District Judge William Griesbach noted that Schneider's crime was serious and his punishment needs to deter him and others from sending sexual communications with minors via the internet.
The graphic nature of the images Schneider received and sent to teenage girls also warranted a substantial sentence, said Griesbach, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's office.
Schneider has been in custody since his arrest.
Schneider has felony charges pending in Marathon County Circuit Court of first-degree reckless endangerment and fleeing an officer.