A Wisconsin pastor has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting children from Venezuela and Cuba. Cory Herthel, 40, pleaded guilty in August to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child.
The Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Green Bay, where Herthel served, contacted the FBI in May after receiving information that he was trading sexually explicit videos with a 15-year-old in Venezuela. It was revealed that Herthel had met the child while in Ecuador and continued to communicate with him after he and his mother returned to Venezuela. The pastor and the child exchanged sexually explicit videos with each other.
Further investigation uncovered that Herthel was also exchanging sexually explicit videos with two children in Cuba. He was involved in a sexual relationship with one of the children and was sending money to the other.
The attorney for Herthel, Eric Maciolek, has not yet provided a comment on the case.
This case highlights the importance of vigilance in protecting children from exploitation and the responsibility of religious institutions to report suspicious activities. The sentencing of Herthel sends a strong message that child exploitation will not be tolerated, and perpetrators will face severe consequences.
It is crucial for communities to work together, reporting any concerning behavior to law enforcement authorities, to ensure the safety and well-being of children.
