25 years for sexual exploitation of a minor

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

According to court documents, Zastawniak confessed 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 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 hearing, Judge Griesbach described the case as “horribly aggravated,” stating that Zastawniak repeatedly made “bad decisions” and engaged in “monstrous behavior.”

Judge Griesbach also emphasized the courage and bravery of the victims, many of whom spoke during the sentencing, when they cooperated with police and put a stop to the defendant’s criminal acts.

Judge Griesbach also described Zastawniak’s prior involvement in similar crimes as “quite frightening.” Ultimately, the judge determined that a sentence of 300 months in 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.

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