Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that a Metro East man prosecuted by the Attorney General’s office was sentenced to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to the dissemination 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 child pornography online.
Raoul’s office prosecuted Jerry Newby, 26, with Jersey County State’s Attorney Ben Goetten’s office. Newby was sentenced by Jersey County Circuit Court Judge Allison Lorton after he pleaded guilty in 2023 to four counts of Class X dissemination of child pornography. Newby immediately began serving his 35-year sentence.
“Child predators must be held accountable and prevented from being able to exploit innocent children,” Raoul said. “My office’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is committed to working with law enforcement agencies throughout the state to protect Illinois families from the lifelong trauma of this horrific crime.”
The case was investigated by the Attorney General’s office, with the assistance of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office, Jersey County Sheriff’s Office, Brighton Police Department and Wood River Police Department. At the time of his arrest, Newby resided in Wood River, Illinois.
Deputy Bureau Chief Shannon O’Brien prosecuted the case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau with Jersey County Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Tellor.
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 2023, reports to the ICAC increased by 46% over 2022.
Illinois’ ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC Task Forces throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 185 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has received more than 40,900 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 720 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 2,010 arrests of sexual predators. The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to tens of thousands of parents, teachers, students and law enforcement professionals.
Attorney General Raoul reminds the public that online child sexual exploitation can be reported online at www.cybertipline.com, and child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. In addition, local child advocacy centers can be found at www.childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.
