RACINE, Wis. — When searching a 71-year-old man’s home in Racine, local authorities found enough evidence to warrant 17 charges including 15 counts of Possession of Child Pornography.
As confirmed in a statement by Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling, the investigation began in May of this year but didn’t lead to an arrest until Monday, July 22, 2024. Authorities received a search warrant that allowed them to enter Robert J. Castaneda’s home, where they allegedly recovered more than 10,000 images and videos of Child Sexual Assault Materials (CSAM).
The investigation was spearheaded by the Sheriff’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit based on tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Computer analysts with the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation also helped.
“This case highlights the critical role of cyber tips and inter-agency cooperation in investigating the perverts that use the internet to exploit countless real children,” Sheriff Schmaling said. “The arrest of Castaneda and the seizure of his disgusting collection of nauseating material underscores the importance of specialized ICAC units that serve to protect children and bring offenders to justice.”
The suspect also picked up two other charges: Possession of Obscene Material Depicting a Person Engaged in Sexual Contact with an Animal and Possession of THC.
This is a breaking news story. An update and/or follow-up will be issued if further details are revealed.
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