(Editors note: Tuesday’s initial story has been incorporated into this follow-up for simplicity)
In late-breaking developments on Wednesday afternoon, the charges of Child Exploitation and Pornography, four counts each, against former City of Sheboygan Human Resources Director Adam Westbrook have been dismissed at the state level in a procedural move that will transfer his case to the U.S. Attorney-Western District of Wisconsin Office as a federal crime. The move was made during proceedings on Wednesday after Adam Westbrook made his initial court appearance in Sauk County. At the time of his arrest, Westbrook was serving as the Human Resources Director for Outagamie County, and was also employed as a part-time music director in the Kaukauna and Menasha School Districts.
The criminal complaint against Westbrook filed by the State on Tuesday reveals that the victim, a prepubescent male child, was the adopted son of Westbrook and his husband, and that the videos at the crux of the case were recorded the morning of January 27th. The videos, in which the child was seen naked and in explicit poses, had been forwarded by Westbrook to Kenosha County Sheriff’s Deputy Preston Kite via Snapchat. Kite was arrested on February 4th after he was reported having exposed himself while in uniform at a truck stop bathroom in Kenosha County, and the discovery of the videos led to Westbrook’s arrest.
Detectives with the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, using other corroborating videos and a reverse image search, were able to pin down the location of the videos as a Wisconsin Dells resort. Communications between Kite and Westbrook, who had also used the monikers Adam James Vanden Heuvel and “sonofthebat7”, also revealed that the two were well-known to each other and were aware of the illegal nature of the videos.
How Outagamie, Sauk and Racine Counties all relate to the arrest of the former City of Sheboygan Human Resources Director became clear with Tuesday’s release of the complaint. Attention turned to Westbrook following Kite’s arrest and investigation by the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office. That deputy now faces charges of possession of child pornography, five counts of child sexual exploitation, lewd and lascivious behavior and disorderly conduct.
Westbrook stepped down from his position as Human Resources Director for the City of Sheboygan last August 30th, one week after complaints of inappropriate conduct towards an intern surfaced. City Attorney Charles Adams confirmed that he investigated, found no violation of City policy, and called Westbrook’s resignation “simply a resignation.”
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