A Menasha, Wisconsin man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. Lawrence J. Chase, 22, received his sentence on January 30, 2026, 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 with an 11-year-old child from Maryland in March 2026. Authorities said that Chase was aware he was talking to a minor and coerced the child into sending sexually explicit images. He also sent obscene images of himself and engaged in sexual conversations with the victim.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Byron B. Conway emphasized the seriousness of the crime and considered the age of the victim as an aggravating factor. The judge also noted that Chase had previous state convictions related to crimes against children but had not served jail time for those offenses. Judge Conway determined that a 15-year prison term was appropriate given these circumstances.
Upon release from prison, Chase will be subject to ten years of supervised release 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.”
“Holding individuals responsible for their despicable acts involving innocent children is our top priority.” said Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz. “Working with our federal partners we were able to ensure accountability and protect our children from this predator in the future.”
“Mr. Chase preyed on an 11-year-old minor and the sentence he received reflects the severity of the crime committed,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and combat violent crimes against children.”
The investigation involved both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office, with prosecution handled by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies.
