Cory Herthel. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A former Green Bay pastor will spend at least 15 years in prison after engaging in an inappropriate online sexual relationship with a minor in Venezuela.
Cory J. Herthel, 40, pleaded guilty in federal court to attempted sexual exploitation of a minor on Thursday.
According to a plea agreement, the church where Herthel worked as a pastor contacted the FBI in May regarding information it had obtained about a potential inappropriate sexual relationship between Herthel and a Venezuelan minor.
An investigation revealed that Herthel had sent the child inappropriate videos of himself, and the child sent similar photos and videos at Herthel’s request.
Herthel said he met the child begging on the streets during a mission trip to Ecuador. After the child and the child’s mother returned to their native Venezuela, Herthel kept in touch with the child.
When confronted with the explicit images and videos, Herthel admitted to asking the minor to send him the content, as well as to sending monetary payments to the child using various online applications.
Herthel will receive his federal prison sentence of at least 15 years on Dec. 4. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
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