Kenosha, Wis. — A Kenosha man is being held in the Kenosha County Jail on serious felony charges after investigators say he shared a graphic image involving a young child over social media.

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Daniel D. Pichardo-Vilchis, 39, was arrested April 16 following an investigation by the Kenosha Police Department and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). He appeared in court last week for an initial appearance, where Court Commissioner William Michel ordered a $50,000 cash bail. As of Monday, he remained in custody.

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The charges stem from a cyber tip that NCMEC forwarded to law enforcement after Instagram flagged an image sent from an account later linked to Pichardo-Vilchis. According to a criminal complaint filed by the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office, the image involved a young male child and was determined by police to meet the legal definition of child pornography.

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Investigators were able to connect the account and phone number to Pichardo-Vilchis through search warrants, Department of Transportation records, and prior police contacts. A search warrant was authorized for his vehicle, his phone, and other electronic devices.

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During a traffic stop, officers located Pichardo-Vilchis and conducted an interview. Police say he admitted to owning the Instagram account associated with the image and to sharing the photo during a conversation with another user. According to the complaint, he acknowledged that the content was sent to him and that he forwarded it to another individual, with whom he was allegedly discussing graphic sexual topics involving children.

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The charges filed include:

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• Sexual Exploitation of a Child – Produce/Distribute, a Class C felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
• Possession of Child Pornography, a Class D felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

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Under Wisconsin law, if convicted, Pichardo-Vilchis would face a mandatory minimum of 5 years of initial confinement for the exploitation charge and at least 3 years for possession. The total maximum penalty is 65 years in prison and $200,000 in fines.

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Authorities say the investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are possible depending on what is found during forensic analysis of the seized devices.

Pichardo-Vilchis is due back in court for a preliminary hearing later this month.