Evergreen Reporter

Tyler Michael Berlick, a 36-year-old resident of Muskego, Wisconsin, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison. He pleaded guilty to producing child sexual abuse materials.

The court heard that Berlick engaged with a girl he believed was 13 years old from Greenville, South Carolina through an online game. He sent her sexually explicit messages and created abusive materials involving the child over the internet. Additionally, Berlick traveled from Wisconsin to South Carolina to engage in sexual activity with the minor and later took her to Florida for further unlawful acts.

“This defendant targeted and exploited someone he knew was a child, and this sentence reflects magnitude of such an offense,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. He emphasized the importance of law enforcement coordination across states which ensured the child's safe return home.

Steve Jensen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Columbia field office, remarked on the FBI's dedication to combating violent crime against children: "This defendant preyed on a child, and he is now facing justice."

United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain handed down a sentence of 360 months imprisonment for Berlick, followed by lifetime supervision without parole under federal guidelines.

The case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice started in May 2006 aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse more effectively by combining federal, state, and local resources.

Investigation efforts involved multiple agencies including the FBI Columbia field office, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Miami Field Office, Latana Police Department in Florida, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, and Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department in Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Winston Marosek is leading prosecution efforts.

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