A 26-year-old Waukesha man was charged on Dec. 5 with 10 counts of child pornography possession and one count of child sexploitation, allegedly distributing the pornography through a peer-to-peer network.
Ryan Hermanson, 922 Birch Drive, could face up to 290 years in prison and $1.1 million in fines if convicted.
According to the criminal complaint, a detective with the Waukesha City Police Department found that suspected child pornography was being distributed through a popular file-sharing network on Oct. 30.
The officer obtained a records warrant and learned the pornography was being shared by an IP address registered to Hermanson's residence in Waukesha, the complaint states. Police executed a search warrant at the residence and seized a laptop from Heramnson's room, according to the complaint.
Several videos depicting prepubescent children engaging in sexual acts with adult men were found on the laptop, according to the complaint, and at least two videos depicted infants being sexually assaulted.
Hermanson was released on Dec. 5 after posting a $5,000 cash bond and signing a $10,000 signature bond, according to court records.
He is expected to appear at a preliminary hearing on Dec. 12.