WAUPACA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A man was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to child enticement and other charges stemming from an incident with a Shawano County teen back in January.
36-year-old Elijah Kerrigan is accused of holding the teen hostage, assaulting her and demanding ransom from the girl’s mother. Kerrigan was also ordered to be placed on the state’s sex offender registry and was placed on extended supervision for eight years.
Kerrigan previously pleaded guilty to child enticement with sexual contact, possession of child pornography, and delivery of drugs to minors. Nine other counts were dismissed, court records show.
The 15-year-old girl was missing since New Year’s Eve. The investigation began on January 8, according to the criminal complaint.
Police learned that the girl’s mother got a demanding text message for $2,500 dollars for the return of the girl.
Karrigan was arrested inside a Clintonville motel room and found the girl hiding under the bed.
In an interview with police, the girl said she ran away from home on Dec. 30. She knew Kerrigan, and viewed him as a “father figure.” She met with him, and he took her to the hotel, according to the complaint.
The girl also said the two also had sex.
A video was discovered on his phone showing the two engaged in a sex act, the complaint states.
According to the criminal complaint, the 15-year-old girl had not been seen since New Year’s Eve when state and federal agents met with the Shawano Police Department on Jan. 8 to investigate the girl’s disappearance.
That morning, the girl’s mother received a text demanding $2,500. Police talked to the girl’s friends, who said she may be with Kerrigan. Investigators learned police had been called to Kerrigan’s motel room the day before for the odor of marijuana. That room was registered to Kerrigan.
Police went to the motel on Jan. 8, where staff identified the girl as staying with Kerrigan. Police entered the motel room, arrested Kerrigan, and found the teenage girl hiding under the bed.
In an interview with police, the girl said she ran away from home on Dec. 30. She knew Kerrigan, and viewed him as a “father figure.” She met with him, and he took her to the hotel, according to the complaint.
The girl said she did drugs with Kerrigan, meth and marijuana, because it helped with her anxiety. Kerrigan made money selling drugs from the hotel room. The girl also said the two also had sex. And a video was discovered on his phone showing the two engaged in a sex act, the complaint states.
