MADISON - A Monroe man pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to attempting to entice a minor to travel from Georgia to engage in sexual activity.
Thomas Zwicker, 68, also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography involving another minor.
According to an affidavit from a Homeland Security agent that was filed in court:
A mother of a 14-year-old Georgia girl contacted Monroe police in June 2014 after her daughter had been missing. The woman told police that after logging on to her daughter's Skype account she learned that her daughter had been having sexual conversations with someone going by the name Thomas Zwicker.
The woman told Detective Steven Gately that "Thomas was talking about making (her daughter) a sexual slave and bondage," and she feared that her daughter may be at Zwicker's residence.
Gately went to Zwicker's house and asked about the missing girl. Zwicker said he knew the girl was missing, acknowledged chatting with her through Skype and showed Gately a nude photo the girl had taken of herself and sent to him.
The girl was never at Zwicker's residence and apparently returned to her mother.
Gately also saw typed messages from Zwicker to the girl stating that he was her master and she was his slave, and that Zwicker would come get her and make her his slave.
Gately said Zwicker also sent the girl a nude photo of himself.
On Thursday, Zwicker admitted to District Judge William Conley that he intended to have the girl visit him.
"I talked to a minor in Georgia. I wanted her to come to Wisconsin and be my sex slave," Zwicker said.
He also acknowledged knowing that she was 14 years old at the time.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger told Conley that Zwicker offered the girl air fare and bus fare to come to Wisconsin.
A search of Zwicker's laptop computer located several nude sexually explicit photos a 16-year-old New York girl had sent Zwicker in 2012.
Zwicker also admitted to possessing the photos and knowing that girl was underage at the time.
Zwicker's attorney, Joseph Bugni, had contested the legality of the search warrant of his client's 17th Avenue residence that Green County Circuit Judge Thomas Vale issued in June 2014.
After Conley upheld the warrant and the evidence obtained Zwicker's Sept. 8 trial date was canceled and the plea hearing set.
Zwicker faces 20-year statutory maximum penalties for each sex offense he pled.
Conley continued Zwicker's release on conditions until his Dec. 14 sentencing in order to treat his medical condition.
Thomas Zwicker, 68, also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography involving another minor.
According to an affidavit from a Homeland Security agent that was filed in court:
A mother of a 14-year-old Georgia girl contacted Monroe police in June 2014 after her daughter had been missing. The woman told police that after logging on to her daughter's Skype account she learned that her daughter had been having sexual conversations with someone going by the name Thomas Zwicker.
The woman told Detective Steven Gately that "Thomas was talking about making (her daughter) a sexual slave and bondage," and she feared that her daughter may be at Zwicker's residence.
Gately went to Zwicker's house and asked about the missing girl. Zwicker said he knew the girl was missing, acknowledged chatting with her through Skype and showed Gately a nude photo the girl had taken of herself and sent to him.
The girl was never at Zwicker's residence and apparently returned to her mother.
Gately also saw typed messages from Zwicker to the girl stating that he was her master and she was his slave, and that Zwicker would come get her and make her his slave.
Gately said Zwicker also sent the girl a nude photo of himself.
On Thursday, Zwicker admitted to District Judge William Conley that he intended to have the girl visit him.
"I talked to a minor in Georgia. I wanted her to come to Wisconsin and be my sex slave," Zwicker said.
He also acknowledged knowing that she was 14 years old at the time.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger told Conley that Zwicker offered the girl air fare and bus fare to come to Wisconsin.
A search of Zwicker's laptop computer located several nude sexually explicit photos a 16-year-old New York girl had sent Zwicker in 2012.
Zwicker also admitted to possessing the photos and knowing that girl was underage at the time.
Zwicker's attorney, Joseph Bugni, had contested the legality of the search warrant of his client's 17th Avenue residence that Green County Circuit Judge Thomas Vale issued in June 2014.
After Conley upheld the warrant and the evidence obtained Zwicker's Sept. 8 trial date was canceled and the plea hearing set.
Zwicker faces 20-year statutory maximum penalties for each sex offense he pled.
Conley continued Zwicker's release on conditions until his Dec. 14 sentencing in order to treat his medical condition.