Adam Westbrook (Photo courtesy Sauk County Jail)
MADISON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Former Outagamie County Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook made an initial appearance in federal court Thursday, but he did not enter a plea.
Westbrook faces a federal child pornography count for allegedly taking and sharing videos of a pre-pubescent boy while at a Sauk County hotel in January.
During the six-minute hearing Thursday, a judge ordered Westbrook held while awaiting trial. No future court dates were set, according to court records.
If convicted, Westbrook faces up to 20 years in prison.
According to the one-page indictment, Westbrook: “knowingly distributed a visual depiction using any means or facility of interstate and foreign commerce, and the production of such visual depiction involved the use of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and the depiction was of such conduct. Specifically, Westbrook used Snapchat to send two videos… of Minor A engaged in sexually explicit
Westbrook was originally charged with counts in Sauk County but those were dismissed after federal authorities decided to charge him.
According to the state’s criminal complaint, Westbrook is accused of recording four videos of a naked prepubescent male child. The criminal complaint says the child was engaged in sexually explicit conduct in the videos. Authorities say the videos were taken at a hotel in Lake Delton at the at the end of January.
The investigation into Westbrook began earlier this month, following the arrest of Preston Kite. Kite, a Racine County sheriff’s deputy, was taken into custody in early February for indecent exposure after exposing himself to someone in a public restroom.
WITI-TV reports that Kite is accused of messaging a man on an app, telling him to come into a Racine County truck stop bathroom. The man said Kite was in uniform in the bathroom and exposing himself; the man reported him to the police the same day.
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office was asked to investigate. As part of the investigation into Kite, authorities searched his phone and found several sexually explicit videos. Kite told authorities he received the videos from Westbrook, a friend.
Kite is facing possession of child pornography, five counts of child sexual exploitation, lewd and lascivious behavior and disorderly conduct.
As for Westbrook, he resigned from his job with Outagamie County following his arrest.
He was also a paid volunteer with both the Menasha and Kaukauna school districts, directing kids in school produced musicals. In light of his arrest, those districts say he is no longer involved with their programs.
Comments