GOSHEN COUNTY – According to recent court documents, Torrington resident, Jacob Eugene Lechleidner, 48, is facing one charge of sexual exploration of children for an incident which occurred on or between September 22, 2023, and October 15, 2024. 

Court documents indicate Lechleidner had a previous stalking charge. According to a probable cause affidavit, the Torrington Police Department (TPD) contacted a Jane Doe on June 5, 2023, at approximately 10:08 p.m. Doe had reported to the department she had been receiving “rude and insulting comments” from her ex-boyfriend who was identified as Lechleidner. Court documents further indicate Lechleidner continued to contact Doe over a period of time even stating he was aware the police department had told him to no longer contact Doe. Doe had reportedly ended the relationship in September of 2022. Even though Lechleidner was blocked from contacting Doe on social media platforms, Lechleidner found a way to send Doe third-party messages. 

“Your Affiant (TPD Officer Andrea Sippel) heard Mr. Lechleidner state, ‘I will continue to do what I want to do. The cops can put me in jail and when I get out, I will still continue to do what I want to do,’” the affidavit of probable cause, filed, said. “Further Your Affiant (Sippel) observed within the text messages Mr. Lechleidner state, ‘Now I know the police said not to contact you, but I had to get this off my chest. Please consider not calling the police and call me instead. Know I will always love you no matter what happens in my life.”

“Based upon the facts stated in this affidavit, I have probable cause to charge Jacob Lechleidner with the following crimes: stalking per Wyoming State Statute 6-2-506(b)(d); [a] misdemeanor,” the affidavit of officer Sippel explained in the 2023 case. 

“Lechleidner chose to plead guilty to charges of stalking a female victim known as D.R., after reaching a plea agreement with the state of Wyoming,” the Torrington Telegram reported on December 20, 2023.

Within the plea agreement, Lechleidner was sentenced to 30 days in jail, with credit for two days served, six months unsupervised probation and a suspended fine of $250. Lechleidner was ordered to pay $220 for “public defender fees,” which was also suspended. Lechleidner was also ordered to have no contact with Doe/D.R.

Once more, charges were filed for the convicted stalker, Lechleidner, records indicate. 

According to the probable cause affidavit prepared by Special Agent Brett Kniss of the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI), authorities received an anonymous tip regarding Lechleidner.

“On October 16, 2024, an anonymous report was received by the Goshen County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) that Julie Mobley had information in regards to Jacob Lechleidner having possession of a tablet which contained child pornography,” the affidavit filed on December 23, 2024 explained. “GCSO Lt. Herbert Irons contacted Mobley and conducted an interview.” 

During the interview, the affidavit explained, Mobley was living with Lechleidner and she had accessed a tablet to which she “guessed” the personal identification number of the tablet. 

“While on the tablet, Mobley accessed the photographs section and observed over 30 pictures of juvenile children,” the affidavit read. “Mobley described the photographs to be of children between five to seven years of age with their ‘bottoms’ removed, exposing their genitalia.” 

The affidavit notes Mobley confronted Lechleidner, resulting in a verbal argument which caused Lechleidner to contact the GCSO. 

“After deputies with the GCSO left vicinity, the tablet with the photographs was unintentionally ‘ran over’ by Lechleidner, causing the screen to break,” the affidavit read. “Mobley added [that] Lechleidner was upset because pictures of his children were on the tablet.”

According to the affidavit, Mobley gave the tablet to a neighbor to ‘conceal’ from Lechleidner. Mobley also provided the GCSO a description and possible location of the tablet inside the neighbor’s home.

“Mobley further stated that this tablet was commonly used by Lechleidner while he masturbated,” the affidavit said. 

GCSO obtained a search warrant for the neighbor’s residence where the presumed tablet was located on October 16, 2024, where they neighbor stated, “Mobley dropped off the tablet…approximately one month ago.”

After contacting DCI, another search warrant was obtained to collect the information and data from Lechleidner’s presumed tablet. DCI’s Computer Crime Team determined the tablet to contain the following:
“Over 7,000 files depicting child pornography were discovered. Special Agent Brown (DCI) observed that the majority of the child pornography were screen shots,” the affidavit explained.

Brown also noted the tablet contained selfie-type images of Lechleidner and other accounts on the tablet appeared to be associated with Lechleidner. DCI then conducted a forensic analysis of the tablet which provided agents with log files from the data downloaded as well as date and timestamps. The analysis indicated several forms of child pornography, including screenshots and various files, all timestamped, as well as “several, non-explicit screenshots of his daughters.”

“[DCI] Special agent Kniss observed that the earliest creation date of files of child pornography on [the tablet] was September 22, 2023,” the affidavit said. “The earliest creation dates of screenshots of child pornography on [the tablet] was October 3, 2023.”

According to the affidavit, Lechleidner was transported to the Torrington Police Department for a ‘custodial interview,’ where he was read his Miranda Warning, which Lechleidner acknowledged he understood.

“During the custodial interview, Lechleidner admitted to possessing the tablet computer and viewing and taking screenshots of child pornography that were saved on the tablet computer,” the affidavit explained.  “Lechleidner further admitted to possessing child pornography on his smartphone.” 

In the January 2, 2025, preliminary hearing, Honorable Nathaniel S. Hibben of the Circuit Court of the 8th Judicial District, Goshen County, found sufficient probable cause exists to bind Lechleidner over to district court for further court proceedings. 

As of late Wednesday, January 8, Lechleidner was listed as booked in the Goshen County Detention Center.