KENDALL COUNTY, Ill. — A Kendall County man who was allegedly found to be in possession of child sexual abuse material is now facing felony charges.
McKade Murphy, a 21-year-old Oswego resident, has been charged with four felony counts of possession of child pornography, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Friday.
According to Raoul, the charges were handed down following a search at Murphy’s home by Raoul’s investigators, Oswego police officers, members of the Kendall and Kane County Sheriff’s offices, Homeland Security Investigations and the Illinois State Police Metropolitan Enforcement Group.
Following the search, prosecutors said they allegedly uncovered evidence of child sexual abuse videos.
“Individuals who trade or download child pornography contribute to the abuse and exploitation of minors and must be held accountable,” Raoul said in a press release. “I would like to thank the assistance of our local, state and federal partners in this case. I will continue to collaborate with all levels of law enforcement to protect children and ensure justice for survivors.”
Murphy is currently being held at the Kendall County Jail and is set to make his next court appearance on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
If convicted, Murphy could face up to seven years in prison for each count.
Raoul’s office did not provide a booking photo for Murphy.
The charges against Murphy are the result of Raoul’s ongoing work to crack down on individuals downloading and trading illicit material online through the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
With a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Raoul’s office runs the task force, which investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies.
The task force, which is one of 61 throughout the country, has been involved in more than 755 arrests of sexual predators since 2019 and more than 2,145 arrests of sexual predators since 2006.
*Child sexual exploitation can be reported online at cybertipline.com and child abuse can be reported at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov.