Oak Park Man Charged With Child Pornography

 Posted on October 25, 2012 in White Collar Crime

An Oak Park man was arrested in late October and charged with aggravated child pornography, "after more than 700 pornographic images were found on two computers in his home," according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He was released on a $500,000 bond, and the court date was scheduled for the last week of October. Joe V. Hymon, 44, was caught when the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force contacted Oak Park police, after an IP address that was "downloading and uploading files containing pornographic images and videos of children" was linked to Hymon’s home.

The ICAC is, according to the Sun-Times, a task force "comprised of state and local law enforcement agencies that investigate and prosecute cyber enticement and child pornography cases." The Chicago Police Department has an entire team dedicated to online safety, known as the Internet Child Exploitation Team. Not only does the team work with other law enforcement agencies, it’s also "committed to teaching children and their parents to be safe during their online activities."

According to statistics from the U.S. Attorney General, there are an estimated 100,000 web sites that offer child pornography. The industry is worth $3 billion annually, and one in every five children is sexually solicited online. According to Illinois State Law, most child pornography cases, such as the one with which Hymon has been accused, are Class 1 felonies, which can result in imprisonment last four to 15 years. Additionally, those convicted of a child pornography crime can face fees ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.

If you or someone you know has been accused of a child pornography crime, don’t go through it alone—especially because a conviction such as this can actively affect the rest of your life due to lists that later circulate neighborhoods listing sexual offenders. Contact an experienced Chicago criminal defense attorney today.

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