David Blade
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee man is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 14-year-old girl.
What we know:
52-year-old David Blade has been charged with one count of use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime.
Court records show Blade’s bail was set at $15,000. He made his initial court appearance on Thursday morning, July 17.
The backstory:
It happened on Saturday, July 12, at the Milwaukee County Zoo.
Milwaukee County Zoo
A woman approached a deputy working at the zoo saying her daughter was missing, but she had briefly seen her with an older man.
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According to the criminal complaint, the deputy found the 14-year-old near the train at the zoo with Blade. She told the deputy they had been talking with him for four months.
The deputy searched the teenage girl’s phone and found sexually explicit messages with the defendant. The deputy also found texts between the two planning on meeting at the zoo that day.
Additional observed messages consisted of Blade allegedly calling the girl "sweetheart" and "baby."
Dig deeper:
Per the criminal complaint, Blade also sent messages including "well you know I am making a huge sacrifice for you, I had to lie to kids, I told them I was going to the store. I had to lie to my kids," and "make sure you delete everything."
The tone of the messages also indicated that Blade and the girl were potentially in a "relationship" on some level and there were instances of sexually explicit photos being sent between the two.
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Blade allegedly told deputies that the 14-year-old calls him to discuss her family life, and noted that he was not a "pedophile," and that he "shamed individuals who are."
The messages between the two went back to February 2025.
What's next:
If convicted, Blade faces 40 years in prison, with a term of initial confinement for at least five years, as well as $100,000 in fines.
The Source: Information in this report is from the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office and Wisconsin Circuit Court.