Wisconsin school official arrested for sex trafficking, producing child pornography

MADISON, Wis. — The superintendent of a Wisconsin school district was arrested Thursday following his indictment by a federal grand jury for sex trafficking of a minor and producing child pornography.

Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with the assistance of the Wisconsin Department of Justice – Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

Daniel Peggs, 32, of Altoona, Wisconsin, was indicted Feb. 12 by a federal grand jury. The indictment, unsealed after his arrest, alleges he recruited a minor to engage in a commercial sex act, and caused the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography using a cell phone.

It was determined that the conduct does not involve a student from Peggs’ school district.

If convicted, Peggs faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison on the sex trafficking of a minor charge.

The production of child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years. The public is reminded that charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations, and defendants are innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Pfluger is handling the prosecution.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 25,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child exploitation material, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2019, more than 3,500 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

For Internet safety information for educators, parents, and children alike, please visit HSI's iGuardians program.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the United States and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.