67-year-old Palo Alto man arrested for child sex crimes

Jordan Baker
·2 min read

(KRON) –A 67-year-old Palo Alto resident was arrested on multiple child sex crimes on Thursday, according to the Palo Alto Police Department.

Palo Alto detectives were notified of a man who said he was 55-years-old speaking to an undercover officer in Georgia posing as a 12-year-old girl from Burke County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Bureau of Investigation on March 5. Detectives learned the suspect provided his cell phone number and then sent photos of himself and child sexual abuse material, which can be referred to as child pornography, to the officer.

Palo Alto PD conducted a follow-up investigation. The owner of the phone was the same person who had been corresponding with the undercover officer. Detectives identified the suspect as  67-year-old Palo Alto resident Robert Kinney Wenzlau.

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Palo Alto detectives created an undercover account using the same mobile app, posing as a 12-year-old girl. Wenzlau messaged the account days later and provided the same phone number.

According to police, the suspect solicited the detective for explicit images, sent child sexual abuse material to the detective on multiple occasions, and made arrangements to meet them in person with the intent to perform sex acts.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office filed four felony charges and a misdemeanor against Wenzlau including:

  • Contacting a minor with the intent to commit a sex offense

  • Attempted lewd act on a child under 14

  • Possession of child pornography

  • Transmitting harmful matter to a person believed to be a minor

  • Arranging a meeting with a person believed to be a minor to engage in lewd behavior (misdemeanor)

A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge signed a warrant for Wenzlau’s arrest on April 8.

Around 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, Wenzlau was arrested in his home in the 1400 block of Dana Avenue. Police also served Wenzlau with a search warrant for his home for evidence of related criminal activity.

Detectives believe there may be other victims. Anyone who may have been victimized by  Wenzlau to contact the Palo Alto Police Department at (650) 329-2413.

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