MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Brian Garbe, 47, of Janesville, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to five years in federal prison for receiving child pornography. This term of imprisonment is to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Garbe pleaded guilty to this charge on June 24, 2021.
Garbe bought child pornography from a website dedicated to the exploitation of children three times in 2016. He also visited the website numerous times between September 2015 and March 2018. In 2018, agents searched electronic devices found at Garbe’s home and found more than 1,000 images and videos depicting child pornography.
Judge Conley noted Garbe made a horrendous decision to access child pornography but found his conduct mitigated by his military service and mental health issues.
The charge against Garbe was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; and Janesville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman prosecuted this case.
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