A “cyber tip” led to multiple felony charges against Wilmette a man after investigators allegedly found he was in possession of photos and videos of child pornography, police said.
Owen Taylor, 20, of the 700 block of 10th Street in Wilmette was arrested Jan. 3 by the Cook County Sheriff’s Police assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit. The arrest came following an investigation of a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about pornographic images of children under the age of 13 found on a file hosting account, police said in a news release.
It said investigators determined the account belonged to Taylor and a forensic analysis of Taylor’s cellphone turned up multiple pornographic images of children.
On Jan. 5, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges against Taylor with four counts of possession of child pornography. Two of the charges include video and photo of a victim under the age of 13, according to police.
More Top Picks Baskets Plants
Taylor made his initial appearance later that day at the Skokie Courthouse where he was ordered released with conditions including he have no access to instant messaging or social messaging file sharing platforms and that he submit all his internet access devices to police to have monitoring software installed to ensure Taylor does not do view any pornography, court records show.
His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 2 at the Skokie Courthouse.
The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the government in a court of law, the news release said.
Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.