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Joel Hochmuth

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Sex Offender, Former WELS Official Gets Prison After Following Boys Cross Country Team

Joel Hochmuth, 52, of Waukesha, will spend four years in prison on his child pornography possession conviction.

The former Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS) communication director — who was fired from his position upon his arrest for child pornography possession — will spend four years in prison after he followed a boys cross country team on multiple occasions. Joel W. Hochmuth also was sentenced Wednesday to five years of extended supervision after his probation was revoked on his child porn possession conviction. In addition to the “stalking conduct,” according to a hearing report, Hochmuth’s probation was revoked for the following reasons: Hochmuth was sentenced in June to 10 years of probation by Judge Kathryn Foster on the child pornography conviction. Hochmuth was charged in November 2011 after detectives from the Waukesha Police …

Marty

8:09 am on Sunday, January 27, 2013

His job at WELS (or his upbringing in their church) had nothing to do with his sick behavior. WELS did the right thing by firing him as soon as these allegations came to light. Oh - and "Really" - you have no idea what you're talking about. Isn't it past your bed time anyways?   more ›

Friday, March 9, 2012

Ex-WELS Communications Director Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography

Waukesha man will be sentenced June 4 on felony charge after authorities found images at his home and on thumb drives at his work office in Wauwatosa.

The former communications director for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Joel W. Hochmuth, who was fired from his position upon his arrest on child pornography charges, pleaded guilty Friday morning to one felony count of possessing child pornography. As a result of the 52-year-old Waukesha man’s plea, two additional counts of possessing child pornography were dismissed. The Waukesha County district attorney’s office will recommend an unspecified amount of prison time when Hochmuth is sentenced at 2 p.m. June 4. “We have gone over it ad nauseam,” said Paul Bucher, who is Hochmuth’s defense attorney. “It is my decision,” Hochmuth told Judge Kathryn Foster shortly before pleading guilty to the charge. The case was set for a jury …

$$andSense

4:17 pm on Saturday, March 10, 2012

Rudy, behave yourself. 50 cents is not always the solution.   more ›

Friday, December 16, 2011

Fired WELS Official Pleads Not Guilty to Child Pornography

Joel M. Hochmuth, 52, is out of the Waukesha County Jail on $20,000 bail and is ordered to not use the Internet.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect that Joel Hochmuth was fired from his duties at the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod following his arrest. The former communications director for Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, who was fired from his position after his arrest, pleaded not guilty to three counts of child pornography possession Friday morning in Waukesha County Circuit Court. Joel W. Hochmuth, 52, of Waukesha, waived his preliminary hearing during his court hearing. Another hearing has been set on the case for Feb. 3. Hochmuth currently is out of jail on $20,000 bail and is ordered to not access the Internet. Hochmuth faces up to 75 years in prison if convicted of the three felony charges. Detectives from the…

Ray Ray Johnson

9:04 am on Monday, December 19, 2011

Agreed on all your points. How about the guy getting some deferred prosecution by getting his junk amputated, and then by helping the investigation in letting the cops use common technologies to back search where the downloaded material came from and then busting the people that created or re-distributed the material? If this was a drug crime, wouldn't they offer some clemency if the guy ratted …   more ›

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Update: $20K Bail for WELS Communication Director Charged with Child Pornography

Joel Hochmuth is suspended from work and authorities claim he had pornographic images on a thumb drive in the WELS offices in Wauwatosa.

Joel W. Hochmuth, 52, of Waukesha, communication director for the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), had his bail set Thursday afternoon at $20,000 on three counts of possessing child pornography. Hochmuth faces up to 75 years in prison if convicted of the three felony charges. Detectives from the Waukesha Police Department met with a special agent from the FBI, who told detectives that Hochmuth was using the Internet handle “Skiguy10101” had child pornography on his computer depicting “pre-pubescent and adolescent boys engaged in various sexual acts.” Hochmuth told authorities that the number of images found on his computer in Waukesha “was nothing compared to what they would find in his office,” the complaint states. Hochmuth …

Kay

11:24 am on Friday, November 18, 2011

Bad enough we have pedophiles in the first place, unfortunately the easy internet access doesn't help.It can take some of these people to the next level..If he is guilty, best he be kept out of society so no kids get hurt. Our schools won't let our kids play dodge ball for fear they might get hurt, but our government can't keep these dangerous vulgarities off the internet..????   more ›

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