MONROE — A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for Sept. 5 for a Monticello man hit with child-pornography charges following a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children tip to local law enforcement. 

Following an investigation, Corey L. Wurtzbacher faces three counts of Possession of Child Pornography and one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child, authorities said.

A search warrant was executed for his home on June 28, according to court documents, and he was arrested a short time later. Numerous electronic devices were seized.

“As a result of several months of investigation which began with the receipt of a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Cybertip in October 2022 referred from the Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a search warrant was issued …” police said in a statement, announcing the arrest. “Following the search warrant, Wurtzbacher was arrested without incident and taken to Green County Jail, pending an initial court appearance.”

The search firm Google had alerted the NCMEC that someone with one of its Gmail addresses had downloaded numerous files of child pornography, including some involving adolescent and toddler-aged victims.

The defendant took some steps to hide his identity while downloading the files, police said in a criminal complaint.

“Your complainant states that the internet protocol activity associated with the account of (the defendant) included the use of virtual private networks, which your complainant knows to be used to conceal the true internet protocol address of an individual, based upon your complainant’s past training and experience,” the complaint said.

He also conducted several potentially incriminating Google searches, police probing his devices discovered. Those include “will I know if Google has been subpoenaed for my account information” and “how long does it take for a child exploitation charge.”

Wurtzbacher’s court case has been overseen by Circuit Judge Faun Phillipson, although it is unclear if she also would serve as a trial judge in the case. 

On July 7, he stood mute before the court and not guilty pleas were entered on his behalf. He was represented by local defense attorney Jane Krueger Smith. If convicted of child pornography, a Class D felony in Wisconsin, Wurtzbacher faces a maximum penalty on each count of 25 years in state prison.

Wurtzbacher also faces the possibility of having to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. The defendant has been in custody at Green County Jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.