A Menasha, Wisconsin man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. On January 30, 2026, Lawrence J. Chase, age 22, received a sentence of 180 months’ imprisonment after being convicted under Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, Chase began communicating online in March 2025 with an 11-year-old child from Maryland. Authorities said that Chase was aware he was speaking with a minor and coerced the child into sending sexually explicit images. He also sent inappropriate images of himself while engaging in sexual conversations.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Byron B. Conway highlighted the seriousness of the crime and noted that the victim’s young age was an aggravating factor requiring significant punishment. Judge Conway referenced Chase’s previous state convictions for crimes against children, which resulted in reduced charges and no jail time at that time. After reviewing all evidence and arguments presented, Judge Conway determined that a sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment was appropriate.
After serving his prison term, Chase will be on supervised release for ten years and must register as a sex offender under both state and federal law.
“This defendant took the innocence of a child who will never get that part of their childhood back,” said U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel. “As a consequence, he will lose a decade and a half of his life to a federal penitentiary. Every pedophile that harms our children should know law enforcement is working night and day to catch them and punish them.”
Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz commented on the collaborative efforts between agencies: “Holding individuals responsible for their despicable acts involving innocent children is our top priority.” He added: “Working with our federal partners we were able to ensure accountability and protect our children from this predator in the future.”
FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr stated: “Mr. Chase preyed on an 11-year-old minor and the sentence he received reflects the severity of the crime committed.” Karr continued: “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and combat violent crimes against children.”
The case was investigated by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006—aimed at fighting child sexual exploitation by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local authorities to identify offenders as well as victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
