MANITOWOC COUNTY (NBC 26) — Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office said an individual on the sex offender registry was arrested for possession of child pornography.
The sheriff's statement issued Monday said detectives received a tip from National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of suspicious online activity from someone in Manitowoc County.
The sheriff's office said an investigation identified the man as 50-year-old Smedley Butler from rural Maribel. The sheriff said Butler is a registered sex offender due to a previous 2009 conviction of possessing child pornography.
Authorities issued search warrants on December 17 and the sheriff said Butler confessed to having child pornography on his electronic devices. Butler was arrested for child pornography, sex offender registry violation and felon in possession of a firearm.
He was due in court Monday afternoon for a bail hearing.
