River Falls man facing new federal charges; accused of sex and labor trafficking, producing child pornography | Crime and Courts

MADISON (WQOW) – A River Falls man could go to jail for decades or even life as he faces new federal charges that replace his previous indictment.

Austin Koeckeritz, 29, was charged in January in federal court with labor trafficking. Now he is charged with nine counts: forced labor, forced sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. , production of child pornography and three counts of money laundering.

According to the Pierce County criminal complaint, Koeckeritz forced his victim to make sexually explicit videos. She told investigators she “lost her freedom” and was locked in a room and forced to work daily, and that he would take almost all the money she earned. She also said Koeckeritz brought in a 15-year-old girl and forced the two victims to engage in sex acts.

According to a press release from the US DOJ, the new indictment alleges that Koeckeritz “recruited, enticed, transported and maintained a minor, knowing that she would be tricked into engaging in commercial sex acts; that he traveled in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual behavior with the minor; and that he transported the minor from Minnesota to Wisconsin with the intent that the minor engage in sexual activity that constituted second-degree sexual assault of a child under Wisconsin law.”

According to the DOJ, charges of forcible sex trafficking and production of child pornography carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life. The charge of forced labor carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The DOJ said the charge of traveling interstate with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor carries a maximum sentence of 30 years, and sex trafficking a minor and transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life. The maximum sentence for each money laundering charge is 20 years.

The FBI is asking anyone with information about Austin Koeckeritz to contact the FBI Field Office in Milwaukee at (414) 276-4684. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Do you have a story idea? Let us know here