WESTVILLE, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) — A Westville man faces 22 felony charges related to possessing and disseminating child sex abuse material after being arrested by Illinois State Police.
According to a release from the Illinois State Police, Grant W. Pate, 26, was arrested following a March 26 search of his residence. The search was performed after ISP received multiple Cyber Tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding child pornography.
Police said the investigation was a joint operation between the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office, Westville Police Department and ISP Troopers.
“The dissemination of child pornography is not only disturbing, but dangerous for the victims depicted in the images,” Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy said. “Working with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program to bring offenders to justice is necessary to keep our children safe.”
The charges are as follows;
- Grant W. Pate, 26
- Dissemination of child pornography (x11)
- A class X felony
- Possession of child pornography (x11)
- A class 2 felony
- Dissemination of child pornography (x11)
For more information, or to submit anonymous tips regarding child sex abuse material, visit the NCMEC CyberTipline here. ISP also provided this website as a resource for survivors of sexual abuse.
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