MONROE - A New Glarus man with no prior criminal record was sentenced Tuesday, April 3, in Green County Circuit Court to one month in jail and two years of probation on one of three felony counts of possessing child pornography.
Braden Thomas Schettler, 19, is also ordered to register as a sex offender and have no access to the Internet unless approved by his probation agent.
If he serves his probation successfully, he will be eligible to have his convictions expunged under a state statute that grants leniency to some young offenders.
If not, Schettler could face time in prison.
"Either you prove yourself in that time, or you don't," Judge Thomas Vale told him. The judge included jail time as a condition of probation to give Schettler a "small, small taste of what can happen."
Schettler was 17 in October 2010 when he was charged with knowingly downloading pornographic material of a girl under 18 engaged in a sexual and "lewd exhibition," according to prosecutor Jeffrey Kohl.
Kohl said Schettler has "a bit of a nonconformist streak" but is not antisocial, criminally minded or a risk to the public.
Another 17-year-old charged the same day in October 2010, Scott Thomas Creed, was sentenced in December to six months in jail and four years of probation on two of seven felony counts of child porn possession.
Defense attorney Ronald Benavides argued that Schettler has already abided by his bond conditions for 18 months and has proven himself to be dependable. Schettler graduated early from high school in order to join the National Guard.
"His National Guard service shows he is capable of achieving his goals," Benevides said. "He's not a predatory type. In a way, it's a more passive type of crime."
Schettler's family sat behind him in the courtroom but declined to speak at the hearing since they already filed letters of support with the court.
He apologized to the judge when given an opportunity to speak, and reiterated his commitment to fulfilling his obligations.
"I've been staying on top of all the rules as far as my bond," he said.
Schettler is ordered to report to the jail on May 1, and will be eligible for work-release privileges.
Braden Thomas Schettler, 19, is also ordered to register as a sex offender and have no access to the Internet unless approved by his probation agent.
If he serves his probation successfully, he will be eligible to have his convictions expunged under a state statute that grants leniency to some young offenders.
If not, Schettler could face time in prison.
"Either you prove yourself in that time, or you don't," Judge Thomas Vale told him. The judge included jail time as a condition of probation to give Schettler a "small, small taste of what can happen."
Schettler was 17 in October 2010 when he was charged with knowingly downloading pornographic material of a girl under 18 engaged in a sexual and "lewd exhibition," according to prosecutor Jeffrey Kohl.
Kohl said Schettler has "a bit of a nonconformist streak" but is not antisocial, criminally minded or a risk to the public.
Another 17-year-old charged the same day in October 2010, Scott Thomas Creed, was sentenced in December to six months in jail and four years of probation on two of seven felony counts of child porn possession.
Defense attorney Ronald Benavides argued that Schettler has already abided by his bond conditions for 18 months and has proven himself to be dependable. Schettler graduated early from high school in order to join the National Guard.
"His National Guard service shows he is capable of achieving his goals," Benevides said. "He's not a predatory type. In a way, it's a more passive type of crime."
Schettler's family sat behind him in the courtroom but declined to speak at the hearing since they already filed letters of support with the court.
He apologized to the judge when given an opportunity to speak, and reiterated his commitment to fulfilling his obligations.
"I've been staying on top of all the rules as far as my bond," he said.
Schettler is ordered to report to the jail on May 1, and will be eligible for work-release privileges.