Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a Metro East man prosecuted by his office pleaded guilty to disseminating child pornography.
Jerry Newby, 25, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Jersey County Circuit Court to four counts of Class X dissemination of child pornography. He faces a sentence of between 24 and 120 years in prison. Newby is detained in the Jersey County jail, and his next court date is scheduled for Dec. 18.
“Perpetrators who exploit innocent children must be held accountable, which helps prevent further abuse and can be critical to helping abused children and their families heal,” Raoul said. “This plea highlights the vital efforts of my Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which works tirelessly to identify and track down individuals who exploit children. I will continue to partner with local law enforcement to locate and hold these offenders accountable.”
Newby was arrested and prosecuted as part of Attorney General Raoul’s ongoing efforts to apprehend offenders who download and trade child pornography online. Raoul’s investigators, 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 conducted a search of Newby’s residence and arrested him after discovering evidence of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Newby resided in Wood River, Illinois.
Raoul’s office is co-prosecuting the case with Jersey County State’s Attorney Ben Goetten’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 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 35,000 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 600 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 1,990 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 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.
Deputy Bureau Chief Shannon O’Brien is handling the case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau. Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Tellor is handling the case for Goetten’s office.
