Former police officer charged with using minor for sexually explicit conduct

A former Mount Horeb police officer has been indicted on federal charges over a sexual encounter with a teenager.

Dennis Jenks, 44, is accused of using a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct.

The indictment alleges Jenks used an iPhone to record an incident between himself and a 14-year-old boy.

A criminal complaint states that the boy told investigators he met Jenks on a chat website and they met for the first time in September 2012. He said he moved in with Jenks in October and stayed until the day Jenks was arrested.

Jenks told an investigator when he questioned the boy about his age the boy said he was 18. Jenks said he attempted, through various means, to confirm the boy’s age but was unable to do so. The boy admitted to police he used a false name, according to the criminal complaint.

The boy told police he remembered Jenks telling him he was not trying to be rude with regard to his age, but that he could lose his job

He is also facing 33 felony charges in Dane County Court for the same incident.

A trial is scheduled for the first of the year.