Eastern District of Wisconsin | Peshtigo Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Minor

Gregory J. Haanstad, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Zachary A. Zastawniak (age 24), of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison on September 20, 2024, by Senior District Judge William C. Griesbach.

According to court records, Zastawniak pleaded guilty to knowingly persuading a minor to send him a sexually explicit video. In his plea agreement and during the sentencing hearing, Zastawniak acknowledged that he had victimized numerous minors in Oconto County and Northeast Wisconsin by using coercive techniques to force them to engage in sexual activity. Much of the coercive activity was carried out using various social media applications.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Griesbach described the case as “terribly aggravated,” stating that Zastawniak repeatedly made “bad decisions” and engaged in “monstrous behavior.” Judge Griesbach also noted the courage and bravery of the victims, many of whom spoke during the sentencing, in cooperating with law enforcement to stop the defendant’s criminal acts. Judge Griesbach also described Zastawniak’s previous involvement in similar crimes as “quite frightening.” Ultimately, the judge determined that a sentence of 300 months in a federal prison was appropriate. After completing his federal sentence, the defendant will be on 25 years of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender under state and federal law.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children online, and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, the North Fond du Lac Police Department, Oconto Falls Police Department, Oconto Police Department, Oconto County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kingsford, Michigan, Department of Public Safety. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.

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