Racine Child Pornography Arrests and Sentencing Surge

Carlos Chaves, a 36-year-old undocumented man, was arrested in Racine for possessing child sexual abuse material after a tip from the Center for Missing and Exploited Children led to an investigation by the Racine County Sheriff's Office. Chaves allegedly uploaded three images/videos to his Google Drive and was arrested on a $25,000 cash bond, with ICE placing a detainer for potential removal from the U.S. In a separate Racine case, 53-year-old Michael Oswald was charged with 11 counts of child pornography possession after investigators found incriminating material on his cell phone, following a tip from the Division of Criminal Investigation. Oswald's bond was set at $50,000, and he is due for a preliminary hearing on April 9, 2025. Additionally, Tony Radunz, another Racine resident, was sentenced to five years in prison for possessing child pornography, following a guilty plea to four out of 14 charges. These arrests highlight ongoing efforts by local authorities to combat child exploitation through collaboration with national task forces.