Iris, an Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9, is hard at work in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The 6-year-old Labrador Retriever has helped law enforcement in three separate cases since late May, leading to multiple arrests.
In a county neighboring Kenosha, an investigator discovered that Ryan St. John, 46, shared and distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to a local news story.
On May 30, authorities searched the residence of St. John. With Iris’ assistance, multiple electronic devices were found inside the home. One of those devices, a computer hard drive, contained nearly 39,000 CSAM files.
St. John was arrested on June 12 and charged with one count of child sexual exploitation and 10 counts of possession of CSAM. Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner William Michel set St. John’s bail at $100,000.
Iris helped find key evidence during another investigation that focused on Kenosha resident Brantley Perez, 24.
When authorities executed a search warrant in late June, Iris and her handler, Detective Pete Deates of the Kenosha Police Department, helped. The collective effort yielded multiple cell phones, a laptop computer, and a tablet.
Perez also admitted to having 10 videos on his phone containing CSAM. The 24-year-old told a detective he had the explicit content “in an attempt to catch those that distribute it,” according to a story published by Kenosha County Eye.
Law enforcement arrested Perez on June 28 and charged him with 10 counts of possession of CSAM. A judge set his bond at $100,000.
In another case, a man, Kevin Pursell, admitted to using a hidden device to capture footage of women and underage girls that were wearing skirts at a local market.
When the police conducted a search warrant at his home, Iris again helped. Pursell currently faces multiple charges.
Follow Iris on Instagram for more updates on her work.