The Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office announced on social media the arrest of Ryan C. Kruse, a 38-year-old teacher from Port Washington, Wisconsin, in connection with an Internet Crimes Against Children investigation. A tip led authorities to investigate his online activities. The Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children assisted in the case, as reported by the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office.
After receiving a tip on last Friday, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force identified Kruse as a suspect in possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material. Kruse was a teacher at Forest Friends Learning Place in West Bend, Wisconsin, and had previously taught at Tiny Sprouts Child Care Center in Port Washington. Authorities are investigating his past employment and any potential connections to the case, as stated by the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office.
On Monday, investigators executed a search warrant at a residence on the 2200 block of New Port Vista Dr., seizing multiple electronic devices for forensic analysis. Kruse was taken into custody and faces charges of Possession of Child Pornography and Sexual Exploitation of a Child under Wisconsin State Statutes. The Port Washington Police Department assisted in the investigation. Kruse was scheduled for an initial court appearance on Tuesday. According to the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office on their Facebook page, "all persons are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law."
