State Crime Reports

Attorney General Madigan: Macoupin County Arrest in Child Pornography Operation


Chicago —(ENEWSPF)—March 26, 2015. Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced charges today against a Macoupin County man on multiple counts of possessing and distributing child pornography as part of “Operation Glass House,” her statewide initiative to apprehend the most active offenders who download and trade child pornography online.

Madigan’s investigators, the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police executed a search warrant Tuesday and arrested Timothy B. Saxton, 37, at his residence on Dean Street in Wilsonville.

Saxton was charged Wednesday by Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jennifer Watson with two counts of distribution of child pornography, a Class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison, and two counts of possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony punishable by three to seven years in prison. His bond was set at $100,000.

“Child pornography is not a victimless crime. Every time these horrific images are spread online, it perpetuates the sexual assault of children,” Madigan said. “With each Operation Glass House arrest, we are sending a message that we will be relentless in our efforts to investigate, arrest and imprison offenders.”

Operation Glass House has netted a total of 75 arrests since 2010, the year when Attorney General Madigan launched the initiative to investigate and arrest offenders trading child pornography online. The operation’s investigations are conducted by Madigan’s High Tech Crimes Bureau and have revealed a disturbing community of criminals who are trading and viewing extremely violent videos of children as young as infants being raped and abused.

Today’s operation was assisted by the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office. The Macoupin County State’s Attorney’s Office will prosecute the case.

“Without this type of investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Office, these crimes would go undetected,” said Macoupin County Sheriff Shawn Kahl. “It puts criminals on notice that they are being watched. The Attorney General’s Office has assisted us on many investigations in the past, and we continue to appreciate our partnership to bring offenders to justice.”

In addition to Operation Glass House, Madigan leads the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The Task Force investigates child exploitation crimes and trains local and county level law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois to do the same. Since 2006, Madigan’s ICAC task force has been involved in 919 arrests of sexual predators. The task force has also provided Internet safety training and education to more than 410,000 parents, teachers and students and more than 18,500 law enforcement professionals.

The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Source: illinoisattorneygeneral.gov


ARCHIVES