A 17-year-old from Kenosha County has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison followed by six years of extended supervision after pleading guilty to child pornography possession, closing out a case that drew concern from a local high school community. Jason Kotarba, a former student at Wilmot High School, admitted in July to three of five counts he originally faced, according to the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office and court records.
The case traces back to two CyberTips the Twin Lakes Police Department received from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, flagging child sexual abuse material uploaded via Discord, according to the FOX6 News Milwaukee report on his sentencing. Kotarba admitted to having pornographic material saved on his school laptop, and court records show he also told investigators he had searched online for instructions on how to build a pipe bomb, a detail that added explosive-safety concerns to the digital evidence case, per an earlier FOX6 News Milwaukee report.
Kotarba was charged as an adult. Kids Forward has described efforts to treat 17-year-olds as children in Wisconsin. Child pornography possession by an adult is classified as a Class D felony under Wisconsin Statute § 948.12, carrying up to 25 years in prison, per an outline of the statute from Chirafisi Anderson, S.C.
A Signature Bond Sends Shockwaves Through Wilmot
The legal proceedings alone might not have drawn much attention outside the courtroom, but a bail decision made the case a flashpoint for the entire school district. Kotarba's initial release in October 2025 came on a no-cash signature bond, letting him temporarily return to class at Wilmot High School wearing an electronic ankle monitor, a decision that sparked community anger, the report notes.
That anger did not stay contained. More than a dozen parents kept their children home from school, the outlet reported. The unrest built until a judge revoked the no-cash bail on November 3, 2025, according to a report.
A Separate Threat Compounded the Fear
Parent anxiety on the day of the protest was not limited to Kotarba's case. Kenosha County Sheriff's deputies were simultaneously investigating a separate threat made by another 17-year-old Wilmot student, the same report states, ultimately adding extra patrols to campus even after determining that threat was not credible. The incidents occurred on the same day, but law enforcement and school officials did not say whether they were connected.
The case's timeline reflects a broader pattern of digital-exploitation investigations tied to the same school community. Three days before Kotarba's sentencing was reported, Kenosha County authorities arrested Austin Scaletta, a 19-year-old former National Guard volunteer, on August 20; 12 felony charges were referred to prosecutors on August 27 but had not yet been formally filed in circuit court, as Hoodline previously reported. Hoodline also reported that Scaletta had no connection to Wilmot's alleged offenses.
How Schools Route Safety Concerns
The Speak Up, Speak Out tipline provides a confidential way for students to report safety concerns, with reports involving criminal activity referred to local law enforcement. Its role illustrates why local reporting channels remain a high priority for Kenosha County families in the wake of separate cases involving a minor at Wilmot High School and a 19-year-old with no connection to the school.
Kotarba's sentencing closes the criminal chapter of a case that began with CyberTips to police and ended with a prison term, but it leaves the community's broader debate over bail conditions and school notification protocols as part of its lasting local legacy.
