Plover man arrested for child pornography, judge orders lower bail

Hayden Witzel-Marr is charged with five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of sexual exploitation of a child, all felonies.

According to a Wednesday morning press release from the Plover Police Department, the charges stem from a CyberTip received by the PPD in late July through the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The tip indicated that an individual in the village of Plover was involved in the possession and distribution of child pornography.

Plover Police Detective Jennifer Albee, who led the investigation, worked with the Wisconsin Department of Justice ICAC Task Force to identify Witzel-Marr as the suspect. A search warrant was obtained for his home in the 1600 block of Dennis Drive, where he was arrested Tuesday morning.

During the search, Witzel-Marr admitted to obtaining and distributing pornographic images of children between the ages of 6 and 12, according to a news release from the Plover Police Department. He was subsequently booked into the Portage County Jail, facing charges of five counts of possession of child pornography and five counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

Portage County Assistant District Attorney Danuta Kurczewski outlined the charges during the bond hearing, citing the disturbing content of the videos found in Witzel-Marr’s possession. “The defendant not only possessed those videos, but he shared them on (an online sharing app),” Kurczewski said.

Despite the seriousness of the charges, Judge Patricia Baker expressed hesitation in labeling the crime as “violent,” a classification that would normally warrant a high bail.

“This is an incredibly high bail amount for someone who… I don’t want to minimize the nature of the charges here, but until I hear that there’s someone, you know, a co-defendant or a victim or that there’s been some kind of violence, I’m not comfortable with $100,000,” Baker said.

Attorney Anne Renc, who represented Witzel-Marr, echoed the judge’s concerns, noting that Witzel-Marr had no criminal record and no significant mental health issues. She argued for a signature bond, stating, “The allegations are certainly serious, but as the court pointed out, we don’t have an individual alleged victim coming forward and saying he did things to someone.”

Kurczewski responded by highlighting additional concerns raised by the ongoing investigation, including Witzel-Marr’s interactions with underage girls online and his reluctance to cooperate during his arrest. “It’s important to note that none of these individuals opened the door to law enforcement,” she said, describing how police had to break down the door to enter the home.

A female relative present at the court said she was unable to pay the $100,000 bail and assured the judge that Witzel-Marr would be supervised at home.

“If I order him to stay with you, can you make sure he doesn’t use any electronic or computer-controlled devices?” Baker asked.

The family member said Witzel-Marr was not taking his medications or going to therapy, but was confident these measures would help him.

After considering the arguments, Judge Baker set bail at $2,500 cash with strict conditions. “I’m going to release him on $2,500 cash bail, so there’s going to be a little bit of skin in the game here, if you will,” Baker said. She also banned Witzel-Marr from using electronic devices, including computers and cell phones, and ordered him to live with the relative. “No video games, no electronic devices, no cell phone, no access to a computer. This is going to clip your wings for a while, young man,” she added.

Witzel-Marr is expected to make her first appearance on September 4.

The Plover Police Department has been an ICAC Task Force affiliate since 2019 and remains dedicated to investigating individuals who attempt to abuse children in the community. The Stevens Point Police Department, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice assisted in the investigation.