Ripon man facing charges related to possessing child pornography

A 30-year-old Ripon man is facing felony charges following an investigation by the Ripon Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit.

Police say the investigation began after receiving a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

On Tuesday, September 15th, Ripon police, along with investigators from the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant at a residence in the area of South Union and Church Streets.

Investigators seized electronic devices and storage media and are continuing to examine that material.

Police say Pirate Blades-Purcell was booked into the Fond du Lac County Jail and formally charged with possession of child pornography and child sexual exploitation.

He’s being held on a $100,000 cash bond.

Police say the investigation remains ongoing.

The department says it is not releasing details contained in the criminal complaint because of the graphic nature of the material.