Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged a Belleville, Illinois man with disseminating child sexual abuse material. The case is part of Raoul’s ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online.
The Attorney General’s office charged Austin A. Wheat, 23, in St. Clair County Circuit Court with seven counts of disseminating child pornography, each Class X felonies punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Sentences are ultimately determined by the court. Wheat is currently detained at the St. Clair County jail.
“Survivors of child abuse and exploitation are revictimized each and every time an individual trades or downloads one of these heinous images or videos,” Raoul said. “I will continue to partner with law enforcement to investigate and hold alleged perpetrators accountable, and I thank the Swansea Police Department for their assistance with this case.”
Raoul’s investigators, along with officers from Swansea Police Department, conducted a search of Wheat’s residence in the 100 block of North 38th Street in Belleville on Nov. 21. Wheat was taken into custody after investigators discovered evidence of child sexual abuse material.
“The Swansea Police Department is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate these crimes and bring justice to the victims,” said Swansea Police Chief Matthew Blomberg. “We appreciate our partnership with the Illinois Attorney General’s office and are grateful for the many dedicated investigators and detectives who investigate these terrible crimes against our youth.”
The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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 2023, reports to the ICAC increased by 46% over 2022.
Illinois’ ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC task forces throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 185 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has received more than 46,150 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 755 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 2,145 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 is reminding the public that child sexual exploitation can be reported online at cybertipline.com and child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. In addition, local child advocacy centers can be found at childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.
Assistant Attorney General Jenifer Peck is prosecuting the case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau.
