WAUSAU, WI (WSAU-WAOW) — Three more Central Wisconsin men were recently arrested in a sex crime sting by the Marathon County Sheriff’s Department.
The KG-3 Initiative uses their new lab in the sheriff’s department to target predators who are trying to lure children for sexual contact. Officers pose online as a girl younger than 16 and arrange for meeting with the men to arrest them.
Detective Dan McGhee spoke with WAOW Newsline 9 about the new equipment and how these suspects have become a bit harder to trap.
McGhee said, “It’s gotten more difficult, I think, because technology has evolved. The people are getting more educated that we’re out there, doing enforcement, so they’re being more cautious, of course.”
This hasn’t deterred the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force from bringing in about 30 suspects over the last four years.
“I think, as a parent, it’s important. It’s important to me to know that an effort is being made to protect children,” said McGhee. “If we stop one person from being victimized by doing what we do, we’ve succeeded. We’ve won.”
Lue Chang, 31, of Plover, Jackson Moeck, 24, of Wausau and Alan Strasser, 29, of Wausau were arrested. Officials are recommending charges of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime and child enticement.
The operation also involves the Wausau Police Department and the Everest Metro Police Department.
Interview by Courtney Terlecki, WAOW Newsline 9.
