Charles E. Hicks, Child Pornography Offenses, Illinois 2013

Cahokia Man Found Guilty of Child Pornography Offenses

A Cahokia man has been found guilty of producing, receiving, and possessing child pornography, a federal jury March 14, 2013 after a three-day trial. Charles E. Hicks, 24, faces a lengthy prison term and significant fines for his crimes.

The charges against Hicks include Production of Child Pornography (Count 1), Receipt of Child Pornography (Count 2), and Possession of Child Pornography (Count 3). Under federal law, Hicks faces a term of not less than 15 years but not more than 30 years in prison on Count 1, a term of not less than 5 but not more than 20 years in prison on Count 2, and a term of not more than 10 years in prison on Count 3.

Each count also carries a potential fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of 5 years to life. Hicks must also register as a sex offender as a condition of his supervised release.

The investigation into Hicks' crimes began in January 2011, when a member of the United States Secret Service's Southern Illinois Cyber Crime Unit identified a computer that was offering to share images and videos of child pornography. Hicks was subsequently identified as the owner of the computer, and a forensic examination of the computer revealed a large collection of child pornography.

Hicks admitted to downloading child pornography using search terms on LimeWire, but claimed he did so in the hope that law enforcement would track him down and find the person making the images available. The evidence presented at trial, however, showed that Hicks had been downloading child pornography for about two to three years, and had even taken two pornographic photographs of a minor who was 16 years old at the time.

Hicks' sentencing is scheduled for June 28, 2013 in East St. Louis, Illinois. He is currently being held without bond pending his sentencing.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the federal government to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdil/pr/jury-cahokia-man-guilty-child-pornography-offenses