Hayfield child pornography suspect arrested on warrant, released on $0 bail with conditions

(ABC 6 News) – A Hayfield man who failed to appear for his child pornography pretrial hearing Wednesday was arrested on a warrant Friday, then released on $0 bail with conditions the same day.

Robert Anthony Rectenwald, 47, was charged in May with eight counts of possessing child pornography–child under 14.

Court documents claim law enforcement traced an online tip about an Instagram account that appeared to be a woman’s to Rectenwald’s cell phone number in August of 2023.

Rectenwald allegedly admitted to creating the Instagram account, which had been flagged for Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and using it to exchange explicit material with other accounts–though he denied uploading or receiving any child pornography.

Videos located on Rectenwald’s electronics allegedly included clearly prepubescent children in sexual situations, according to court documents.

Rectenwald was scheduled to appear in Dodge County Court for a pretrial hearing Sept. 4.

According to court records, after Rectenwald’s warrant was served, Dodge County Judge Debra A. Groehler assigned him $0 bail with conditions — such as making future court appearances and maintaining contact with probation — or $50,000 bail with no conditions.

Rectenwald is scheduled to appear for a new pretrial hearing Oct. 2.