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Caledonia man accused of child exploitation, soliciting teen for prostitution
Milana Doné
RACINE — A 78-year-old Caledonia man has been accused of child prostitution and exploitation of a girl between 2011 and 2014.
Richard Betchkal was charged Thursday with one count of second-degree sexual assault of a child, one count of soliciting a child for prostitution, one count of child sexual exploitation — filming, one count of child sexual exploitation — produce or perform and 11 counts of possession of child pornography.
According to a criminal complaint, an investigator with the Caledonia Police Department received a statement in June from a 30-year-old woman alleging that Betchkal was threatening to distribute explicit photos of her as a teenager.
The woman told law enforcement that she met Betchkal around May 2012 when she was 15 and he was about 64 through a website for soliciting prostitution, the complaint said.
Investigators searched Betchkal’s phone and found an explicit photo of the woman from 2013. Investigators also found a video camera with numerous photos and videos of child sexual abuse material.
Betchkal reportedly admitted knowing the woman and reportedly told law enforcement that he would pay her for sexual acts and record the acts on a camcorder.
Betchkal initially appeared in court Friday, where his cash bond was set at $75,000.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 26.
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