Elk Mound man sent to prison for possessing thousands of images of child porn

Jan. 31—CHIPPEWA FALLS — An Elk Mound man who had thousands of images of child pornography on his home computer and various devices was sentenced Tuesday to serve four years in prison.

Brian M. Hanson, 39, 234 Wapiti Lane, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography in October in Chippewa County Court, while four other charges were read-in and dismissed.

On Tuesday, Judge Ben Lane ordered the lengthy prison sentence, along with four years of extended supervision.

"The top factor I am weighing is the gravity and nature of this offense," Lane told Hanson. "This is one of the activities that the public despises. We don't know (the victims') names or their circumstances when they were forced to engage in these activities."

Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell requested five years in prison and three years of extended supervision. He noted that state law is a mandatory minimum three years in prison.

"This isn't just pornography; it is images of children being sexually abused," Newell told Lane. "We aren't talking about five images, we are talking about in excess of 50,000 images collected."

Newell described some of the graphic, sexual videos involving adult males and juvenile females, including toddlers.

"These are real children, with real things happening to them," Newell said.

Hanson collected and distributed these videos, Newell added. Newell sees Hanson as a high risk to re-offend.

"The defendant plays a role in making sure this type of material continues out there," Newell said.

Defense attorney Christopher Wilhelm told Lane that Hanson admitted to what he had done and entered a guilty plea, rather than no contest. He added that nearly all people convicted of possessing child pornography in Chippewa County are ordered to the three-year mandatory minimum.

Hanson's mother, Alice Hanson, spoke before sentencing, asking Lane for leniency.

"I feel awful for the consequences of this," she said. "I have a very good son. I can't imagine him ever doing this ever again."

Prior to being sentenced, Hanson said that after being arrested, he has stopped to think about what he has done. He said he hopes to get treatment.

Hanson lived at a home in Chippewa Falls with his girlfriend at the time of his arrest on Jan. 19, 2021.

According to the criminal complaint, agents from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Justice, along with officers from the Chippewa Falls Police Department, obtained a search warrant to enter a home at 325 W. Willow St. Officers seized Hanson's computer, which had 78 files of suspected child pornography.

The criminal complaint states in detail five videos located on the computer where underage girls performed sex acts, including intercourse, with adult males. The case had been delayed because evidence hadn't been immediately processed by the Department of Justice.

Hanson originally entered a not guilty plea in July 2021. He had been free on bond prior to being sentenced Tuesday.