Jon C. Hanson - Indicted Possession and Distribution of Child Pornography

“The Department of Justice has made the protection of our nation’s children a top priority through Protect Safe Childhood, and prosecutions such as this further that priority,” U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic said in a statement. “Regardless of profession or position, those involved in child pornography crimes will be prosecuted and will face real time in federal prison.

RACINE — A former local funeral homeowner was indicted Thursday for possession and distribution of child pornography by a federal grand jury.

Jon C. Hanson, 48, of Franksville, former owner of Hanson Funeral Home in Racine, was charged with one count of child pornography. If convicted of the possession charge, Hanson faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

If convicted of distributing child pornography, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years.

Hanson’s attorney, Christy Hall, of Richards and Hall, S.C., was unavailable for comment Thursday afternoon.

Hanson possessed images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and used a computer connected to the Internet to distribute such images, according to the complaint. The images allegedly included sadistic images of pre-pubescent children.

Hanson allegedly transported four sexually explicit images depicting girls as young as about 8 years old and had five images of the same nature of girls as young as about 5 years old at his Franksville residence. Hanson also allegedly had a half dozen sexually explicit photographs and movies of girls approximately as young as 1 year old at the funeral home, 3014 Northwestern Ave., where he was working.

The case against Hanson stems from a multistate investigation by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to a statement released by the Department of Justice.

“The Department of Justice has made the protection of our nation’s children a top priority through Protect Safe Childhood, and prosecutions such as this further that priority,” U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic said in a statement. “Regardless of profession or position, those involved in child pornography crimes will be prosecuted and will face real time in federal prison.