MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee County Judge Brett Blomme was arrested on tentative charges of possession of child pornography, the Wisconsin Department of Justice announcedTuesday.
Blomme, 38, was arrested by special agents with the DOJ's Division of Criminal Investigation following an investigation into several uploads of child pornography onto the internet.
The DOJ says Blomme allegedly made the uploads through the Kik Messenger application in October and November of 2020.
DCI investigators obtained search warrants for Blomme, his chambers, vehicle and his residences in Milwaukee and Dane counties. Law enforcement agencies in the counties and in Minnesota assisted the investigation.
Blomme is a judge for Branch 5 of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, and assumed office on Aug. 1, 2020. His term is set to end in July of 2026.
Blomme defeated incumbent Paul Dedinsky in the general election for the circuit court position in April of 2020.
Blomme's LinkedIn profile shows that he used to work as president and CEO of Cream City Foundation from 2017-2020; assistant city attorney with the City of Madison from 2015-2016; and staff attorney with the Office of the State Public Defender in Wisconsin from 2011-2015. He graduated from Marquette University and the University of Missouri-Columbia, according to his LinkedIn profile.
In a statement, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett writes, "The allegations are alarming. Before he was elected to the bench, the judge served as chair of the Board of Zoning Appeals, an appointed board in City Government. The reports of the arrest came as a complete surprise."
The state DOJ says a criminal complaint laying out his alleged crimes will be released on Wednesday.
Police records show Blomme was arrested in Dane County on Tuesday.
The chief judge of Wisconsin’s First Judicial District comprising Milwaukee County, Mary E. Triggiano, said in a statement she is unable to comment due to the ongoing investigation and pending case.
