Marathon County prosecutors say a Weston man had more than 13,000 pornographic images of children on a laptop that was seized as part of a criminal investigation. Another 350 child-porn videos were also found.
Jacob Wilharms appeared in court on Monday, charged with sexual exploitation of a child and 20 counts of possession of child pornography.
The 32-year-old Wilharms was interviewed by Everest Metro police last May after a traffic stop. He voluntarily handed over his cellphone. His computer was seized this summer after sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at his home. He told police that he visits porn sites that claim their images involve people over 18 although they look younger.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 20. Bond was set at $25,000. While awaiting trial, Wilharms will not be allowed to use the internet.
WSAU