WISCONSINREPORT.COM (06/16/2009) - A 34 year old Watertown, Wisconsin man has been sentenced to twenty years on child pornography charges. The sentence stems from an incident that federal attorneys say took place in Marshall, Wisconsin in 2008. The man pleaded guilty to the charge of using a minor to produce child pornography after the prosecution obtained a copy of a videotape that showed the man fondling a girl under twelve years old. The judge said the man will not be granted parole before the 20 years are served, and when released will be supervised the rest of his life.

Stephen P. Sinnott, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, has announced that Kenneth R. Smith, 34, Watertown, Wisconsin, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Barbara B. Crabb to twenty years in prison without parole for using a minor to produce child pornography.

Smith pleaded guilty to the charge on April 7, 2009. The sentence was issued today.

The government's proof showed that in the summer of 2007, while living in Marshall, Wis., Smith videotaped himself fondling the child.

A copy of the videotape was provided to law enforcement officers after the tape was discovered in October 2008.

Smith's sentence was enhanced in part because of the young age of the victim and the sexual contact that occurred during the incident.

Smith's sentence also reflects a lengthy criminal history fueled by alcohol abuse.

In sentencing him to twenty years in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, Judge Crabb called Smith's actions reprehensible, noting that his alcohol abuse has led to much of his
criminal behavior, including this offense.

The charge against Smith was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Sheriff's Office.

The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Przybylinski Finn.