MONROE — Investigating tips provided by a national center working to prevent child exploitation, local authorities have charged a 74-year-old Brodhead man on three counts of possession of child pornography.

On April 25, at about 9:15 a.m., the Green County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division — assisted by Deputies and the WI Department of Justice — Division of Criminal Investigation — executed a residential search warrant in the 900 block of James Court, in the Town of Decatur. 

The search warrant stemmed from an investigation into Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) and started with a cyber-tip through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) being referred to the Sheriff’s Office, according to a press release from Chief Deputy John M. Schuetz.

“The investigation into the cyber-tip identified reported media depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), commonly referred to as child pornography,” the release said. “As a result of the tip and a subsequent investigation, Philip J. McManus, 74, of Brodhead, was booked into the Green County Jail and charged (five counts) requested of the District Attorney’s Office for the Possession of Child Pornography, Class D Felony.”

The Green County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation, assisted by the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigations Digital Forensics Unit. 

The charges against McManus carry a potential maximum prison term of 25 years. While Wisconsin has a three-year mandatory minimum sentence for convictions of child pornography possession, judges may use “discretion” in imposing the prison sentences.

McManus remains in custody at the Green County Jail. Court records indicate that, as of the newspaper’s deadline, a bond hearing had not been held for the defendant.

— Gary Mays