Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced that a Brighton, Illinois man was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to the dissemination of child sexual abuse material. 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 sexual abuse material online.
Raoul’s office prosecuted Christopher Sykes, 31, who pleaded guilty to three counts of Class X felony dissemination of child pornography. Jersey County Circuit Court Judge Allison Lorton sentenced Sykes to 25 years in prison.
“Child predators must be held accountable for their participation in the exploitation of innocent children,” Raoul said. “My office’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force is committed to continued collaborations with local law enforcement agencies and state’s attorneys to keep communities safe.”
Sykes was arrested in March after Raoul’s investigators, along with officers from the Brighton Police Department and Jersey County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a search of his residence and found evidence of child sexual abuse material. Sykes remained in custody at the Jersey County Jail until his plea.
Raoul’s office prosecuted the case with the Jersey County State’s Attorney’s office.
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 sexual abuse material, 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 46,150 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 755 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 2,145 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 is reminding the public that 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.
Deputy Bureau Chief Shannon O’Brien prosecuted the case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau.
