Tim Ryan, tryan@shawanoleader.com
A Shawano County man is facing numerous charges of possessing child pornography and related felony counts after investigators allegedly caught him having sexual communications with a 14-year-old Arizona girl.
Luke W. Hennigan, 31, was charged Friday with six counts of child porn possession, three counts of child sexual exploitation, five counts of causing a child to view sexual activity and 11 counts of exposing a child to harmful materials.
According to the criminal complaint, police in Gilbert, Arizona, learned from a counselor in February that a 14-year-old girl had been in an online relationship with an older male since June 2013.
Their communications included explicit images of genitals sent between the parties and discussion of sexual acts, according to the complaint, which states the communications were exchanged over Facebook, Skype and and an online chat room.
Gilbert police identified Hennigan through an IP address, according to the criminal complaint, and contacted the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department, which took over the investigation in May.
A sheriff’s detective contacted Hennigan online and continued communicating with him posing as the girl, according to the complaint.
Authorities executed a search warrant at Hennigan’s residence on June 23 and seized a cell phone and tablet computer belonging to the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe.
According to information from Hennigan’s bail hearing in Shawano-Menominee County Circuit Court on Friday, he had been a hydrologist for the tribe.
Hennigan could face a maximum 40 years in prison and $100,000 on each count of child sexual exploitation; 25 years and a $100,000 on each count of child porn possession; six years and a $10,000 fine on each count of causing a child to view sexual activity; and 3 1/2 years and a $10,000 fine on each count of exposing a child to harmful materials.
Judge James Habeck imposed a $10,000 signature bond at Friday’s hearing.
Hennigan is due back in court for a preliminary hearing Sept. 26.