**Updated 2:30 p.m.
Investigators from the Racine County Sheriff’s Department say a 36-year-old Waushara man visited Racine County to have sex with a 15-year-old boy and now faces child sex assault charges.
Joseph Blader was charged Friday in Racine County Circuit Court with one felony count each of using a computer to facilitate a child sex crime and attempted 2nd degree sexual assault of a child. If convicted, he faces up to 60 years in prison and/or up to $150,000 in fines.
Racine County Court Commissioner Alice Rudebusch assigned him a $75,000 cash bond during his initial appearance.
Deputies say they conducted an undercover operation Thursday in eastern Racine County where they posed online as a 15-year-old boy who was communicating with Blader over the Internet.
Investigators arranged a meeting with Blader at a residence here.
“Blader traveled to a pre-designated location where he believed he was meeting the juvenile and was subsequently taken into custody by Sheriff’s Investigators,” a written release from RCSD reads.
Blader remains at the Racine County Jail and will next be in court Feb. 11 for his preliminary hearing.
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