On Thursday, February 5, 2026 at approximately 6:30 AM, the Green County Sheriff's Office assisted by the WI Department of Justice - Division of Criminal Investigation executed a residential search warrant in the 300 block of S Mill St, in the Village of Albany, County of Green.  The search warrant stemmed from an investigation into Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) conducted by the Sheriff’s Office Detective Division.

The investigation started with three cyber-tips through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) being referred to the Sheriff's Office.  The Green County Sheriff's Office is a Wisconsin Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force affiliate agency and commonly receives NCMEC tips for further investigation. The investigation into the cyber-tips identified reported media depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), commonly referred to as child pornography.  During the execution of the search warrant, JERRY A PAGEL, 67, of Albany, WI, was taken into custody and booked into the Green County Jail on a charge of Obstructing/Resisting an Officer. This is a misdemeanor offense for which PAGEL can bond out of custody.

The Green County Sheriff’s Office is leading this investigation and was assisted by the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigations Digital Forensics Unit. At the time of this release PAGEL is no longer in custody. The investigation remains active and no additional releases are planned at this time.

Chief Deputy John M. Schuetz, GRSO #2

Pursuant to the directive of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, as found in Supreme Court Rule 20:3.6, Trial Publicity, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.