United States of America v. Stephen Hans Jenkins, a/k/a "BMO"

Madison, Wisconsin, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with possession of material constituting or containing child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. 2252(a).

Stephen Hans Jenkins, a.k.a. BMO, 40, Trempealeau, Wisconsin, was a long-time family friend of Minors A, B, and C. Eventually, Jenkins began sexually assaulting Minor A. One-night, Minor A was looking at Jenkins’s iPad and found explicit images of Minor B and Minor C. Minor A then reached out to family members for help. Agents ultimately executed a search warrant at Jenkins’s home in Trempealeau County and an analyst found hundreds of sexually explicit images of minors.

At sentencing, Judge Conley noted that the defendant was in a position of trust for all his victims and used the position to “groom” and exploit them. Judge Conley called the defendant a serial predator who was calculated, manipulative, and a danger to minors.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, it is common for producers of child pornography to groom victims or cultivate a relationship with a child and gradually sexualize the contact over time. The grooming process fosters a false sense of trust and authority over a child to desensitize or break down a child´s resistance to sexual abuse.

“Jenkins is a repeat child sex offender who represents a profound ongoing danger to children,” said Interim U.S. Attorney Elgersma. “Our office is dedicated to prosecuting anyone who creates and circulate depictions of child sexual exploitation and violence.”

Prior to assaulting Minors A, B, and C, Jenkins was convicted of groping a 10-year-old boy and convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.

In announcing the sentence, Interim U.S. Attorney Elgersma commended the outstanding efforts and coordination of the FBI, Trempealeau Police Department, Trempealeau County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and the Ogden, Utah, Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.

The Defendant was found guilty and was sentenced to 246 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release.