Former judge gets 9 years for distributing child porn

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A federal judge has sentenced a former juvenile court judge to nine years in prison for distributing child pornography.

U.S. District Judge James Peterson sentenced former Milwaukee County Children’s Court Judge Brett Blomme on Wednesday on two counts of knowing distributing child pornography, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. The sentence fell below federal sentencing guidelines but is still almost twice the five-year mandatory minimum.

Peterson said he had “serious concerns” that Blomme has an intractable” attraction to children and his actions have left a “huge stain on the reputation of the judiciary.”

Blomme, 39, apologized in court Wednesday, acknowledging his crimes were “disgusting and outrageous.”

He said being isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic caused him to become preoccupied with sex. But he kept his official duties and criminal behavior separate, he said.

Blomme pleaded guilty to the two federal counts in September. Prosecutors in exchange dropped seven counts of child pornography possession against him in state court.

According to a criminal complaint, the state Department of Justice began investigating Blomme in February after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that he had uploaded child pornography through the Kik messaging application 27 times in October and November 2020.

The state Supreme Court barred him from the bench after he was charged in state court in March. He was indicted in federal court in May.