The Sconi

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force has announced charges against Samuel Pieper, a former correctional officer for the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office. Pieper faces two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of trafficking of a child. The charges were filed on Friday, March 7.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Pieper's residence on March 6, 2025. This action followed tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which reported suspected child exploitation activities involving financial transactions in exchange for videos or images during June and July of 2024. Following his arrest at the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, Pieper was booked into the Walworth County Jail before being transferred to the Rock County Jail. He resigned from his position as a correctional officer on March 6, 2025.

Authorities have stated that there are no known local victims at this time. They urge anyone with information related to this investigation to contact the ICAC Task Force at (608) 266-1671.

The investigation is being led by the ICAC Task Force at DOJ and prosecuted by the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office. It is receiving assistance from the Whitewater Police Department, Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, and Wisconsin DOJ Crime Response Specialists.