Posted: Thursday, September 20, 2012 --- 5:12p.m.

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A former Milwaukee County sheriff's sergeant has pleaded guilty to producing child pornography.

U.S. Attorney James Santelle said Thursday that 41-year-old Philip Wentzel pleaded guilty in federal court to six counts of producing child pornography.

The complaint says Wentzel took photographs of young girls at a campsite he reserved in Campbellsport. Federal investigators say he shared the photos through an Internet peer-to-peer file sharing network.

Wentzel resigned from the sheriff's department after he was charged in May.

Wentzel faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison on each count. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 on each count, and a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release after prison.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 21.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.