Chicago Man Scott Reskey, 61, Charged with Child Pornography Possession

Chicago man Scott Reskey, 61, is behind bars on federal child pornography charges after investigators uncovered more than 45,000 images and 200 videos of minors in disturbing sexual abuse, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court.

Reskey, arrested last week at his home on Chicago’s Northwest Side, appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim, who ordered him detained without bond. Authorities say the evidence seized from his laptop computer paints a grim picture of systematic exploitation, with files depicting children—some under the age of 12—in horrific acts of abuse.

The case emerged from a broader federal crackdown on a hidden online network that traded child exploitation material through an anonymous dark web platform. Investigators used digital forensics to trace uploads and downloads back to Reskey’s IP address, linking him directly to the distribution chain, the complaint states.

Zachary T. Fardon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michael J. Anderson, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Chicago Office, confirmed the charges. The probe remains active, with officials warning that more arrests could follow as the investigation expands across jurisdictional lines.

Reskey faces one count of possessing child pornography involving a minor under 12, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the court must impose a sentence deemed reasonable under federal law and the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines—no leniency guaranteed.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Grayson Walker. As this case proceeds, federal officials remind the public that the complaint is not evidence of guilt. Reskey is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.