RACINE, Wis. (WFRV) – A 36-year-old man from Racine was arrested and is facing two felony charges for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to the Racine County Sheriff’s Office.
The department says its Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit began investigating in November 2024 after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Investigators determined that Carlos Chavez had uploaded three images and videos containing CSAM to his Google Drive.
After initially having limited information on Chavez’s whereabouts, deputies obtained an arrest warrant. He was taken into custody on April 1, 2025, while staying in the 1600 block of Maple Street. Authorities also seized his phone as evidence.
During the arrest, a bilingual deputy attempted to question Chavez, but he refused to answer. A $25,000 cash bond was set at his initial court appearance.
Investigators say Chavez is not legally in the United States, and a detainer has been placed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), citing he is “subject to removal” under federal immigration law.
The sheriff’s office is working with the Wisconsin Department of Justice to perform a forensic analysis of the seized cell phone to determine if there are any additional images or videos of CSAM.
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“This case is a powerful example of what law enforcement can accomplish when agencies across all levels – city, county, state, and federal – work collaboratively in pursuit of a common goal: making our communities safer by locking up pedophiles,” said Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling. “I urge the rest of the criminal justice system to hold this pervert fully accountable, ensure he serves his sentence, and remove him from this country.”
No further information has been released.
