NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — A north Chicago man accused of possessing and disseminating child pornography has been taken into custody, thanks in part to a Lake County K9 who helped track down the device where the alleged files were stored.
18-year-old Johnny Stewart was taken into custody on Thursday by members of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office (LCSAO) Cyber Crimes Division and Special Investigations Division with the help of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
According to authorities, Stewart has been charged with three counts of dissemination of child pornography and eight counts of possession of child pornography.
The charges were handed down after deputies and LCSAO investigators received a tip that the sexual abuse material was being disseminated from Stewart’s home in the 1500 block of Lincoln Avenue in North Chicago.
The State’s Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Stewart’s home in July and LCSAO Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 Grip helped track down his electronic devices.
Following the seizure of Stewart’s devices, analysis was conducted by the LCSAO Cyber Lab, which allegedly uncovered several hundred files of child sexual abuse material on his cell phone.
“Our Cyber Crimes Division and Special Investigations Division are unmatched. Our Cyber Lab team is using new technology every day to protect our children, our families, and our community. We owe Sheriff’s investigators, LCSAO Investigators, and Grip a debt of gratitude for being on the front lines of this fight to catch and prosecute those who would exploit others,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said in a news release.
During a court appearance on Thursday morning, the State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Stewart pending the disposition of the case.
“Protecting our most vulnerable is crucial and our Sheriff’s team will continue collaborating with our criminal justice partners to do just that. I am proud of the continued work of our staff and thankful for our partnership with the State’s Attorney’s Office,” Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said.
Stewart is set to return to court for a detention hearing on Friday afternoon.