Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Luke W. Hennigan
Wallpaper in a residence once owned by a Shawano County sheriff’s detective provided a key piece of evidence for the state during a preliminary hearing Friday for a rural Shawano man accused of having sexual communications with a 14-year-old Arizona girl.
Luke W. Hennigan, 31, was bound over trial after the hearing on 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.
Shawano-Menominee County District Attorney Greg Parker told the court additional charges could also be filed.
Detective Chris Gamm testified Friday that Hennigan is living in a house that once belonged to a retired sheriff’s detective and wallpaper from one of the rooms can be seen in sexually explicit photos that Hennigan allegedly sent to the girl.
Gamm said Hennigan had initiated contact with the girl through an online chat room and continued exchanging messages over Facebook, Skype and other messaging programs.
He said personal information and photos on the girl’s Facebook page should have made it obvious to Hennigan that he was communicating with a minor even if she didn’t volunteer that information.
Gamm described graphic photos exchanged between the two, including pictures of the girl performing sexual acts and alleged photos of Hennigan’s genitalia.
None of the photos show Hennigan’s face and he was allegedly using a fake Facebook account under the name of Marc Marcus.
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. Gilbert police identified Hennigan through an IP address and contacted the Shawano County Sheriff’s Department, which took over the investigation in May.
When Hennigan contacted the girl again, Gamm took over the online exchanges posing as her. Those exchanges continued until June 23, when authorities executed a search warrant at Hennigan’s residence, seizing a cell phone and tablet computer belonging to the Stockbridge-Munsee Tribe.
According to information from Hennigan’s bail hearing last week, 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 if convicted; 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.
Hennigan is free on a $10,000 signature bond and is scheduled for arraignment Nov. 3.