Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged a Williamson County man with alleged possession of child pornography. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade pornography online.
Raoul’s office charged Jacob A. Sloan, 44, of Marion, Illinois, in Williamson County Circuit Court with 11 counts of possession of child pornography, Class 2 felonies each punishable by up to seven years in prison. Sloan’s bond was set at $500,000.
“Possessing child pornography is not a victimless crime. Each and every time one of these heinous images are downloaded or shared, survivors are revictimized,” Raoul said. “I appreciate the assistance of the Marion Police Department and Williamson County State’s Attorney Ted Hampson in this case, and my office’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to partner with local law enforcement to keep our communities safe.”
Raoul’s investigators, with the assistance of the Marion Police Department, conducted a search of Sloan’s residence in the 1400 block of North Magnolia Street in Marion on Wednesday, Aug. 9. Sloan was later arrested and taken into custody at the Williamson County Jail.
“The Marion Police Department is thankful for the partnership of the Attorney General’s office and values any and all assistance possible in our work to protect children from dangerous online predators,” Marion Police Chief David Fitts said.
Attorney General Raoul’s office will co-prosecute the case with Williamson County State’s Attorney Ted Hampson’s office.
The public is reminded the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is part of Attorney General Raoul’s work to investigate and prosecute child pornographers in Illinois. Raoul’s office, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force that investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies. The task force receives CyberTips, or online reports of child pornography, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Over the last several years, CyberTipline reports have steadily increased. In 2022, reports to the ICAC increased by 26% over 2021.
Illinois’ ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC task forces throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 175 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has received more than 32,500 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 485 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 1,960 arrests of sexual predators. The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to more than 1 million parents, teachers and students, in addition to more than 23,850 law enforcement professionals.
Attorney General Raoul also reminded the public that online child sexual exploitation can be reported at www.cybertipline.com, and child abuse can be reported at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. In addition, local child advocacy centers can be found at www.childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.
Assistant Attorneys General Katherine C. Hegarty and Jenifer Peck are prosecuting the case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau.
