By Mining Journal staff

MARQUETTE — Five men, one from Iron Mountain, face child sex abuse-related charges after an undercover joint sting operation last week in Marquette County.

According to a news release from the Marquette County Prosecutor’s Office, the men arrested were: Adam Duellman, 37, of Gwinn; Robert Wheeler, 20, of Kalamazoo; Joseph Ross, 37, of Marquette; Jeremy Kohler, 41, of Iron Mountain; and Christopher Ek, 44, of Wausau, Wis.

All five were charged with —

— Child sexually abusive activity, a felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine. Conviction would require registering as a sex offender.

— Use of a computer to commit child sexually abusive activity, a felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine. This charge carries the possibility of a consecutive sentence within the discretion of the sentencing court.

— Accosting a child for immoral purposes, a felony with a maximum penalty of four years in prison and/or a $4,000 fine. Conviction of this offense requires the subject to register as a sex offender.

— Use of a computer to commit accosting a child for immoral purposes, a felony with a maximum penalty of 7 years in prison and/or $5,000. This charge carries the possibility of a consecutive sentence that is within the discretion of the sentencing court.

Agencies that assisted in the operation included the Marquette Police Department, the Chocolay Township Police Department, the Forsyth Township Police Department, the Negaunee Police Department and the Ishpeming Police Department. TV personality and journalist Chris Hansen with the TruBlue network was also embedded in the operation that took place from Thursday through Saturday.