
A Cary man was sentenced to probation on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography, which the FBI located on his electronic devices.
Sean M. Keady, 28, of the 400 block of Redwood Drive in Cary, was indicted on three counts of possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony.
The Cary Police Department said Keady turned himself in to authorities on February 13, 2020 after an arrest warrant had been issued.
Cary Deputy Police Chief Scott Naydenoff said at the time that detectives received information in 2019 from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The task force reported an online social media account that was sharing photos believed to contain child pornography, Naydenoff said.
Detectives conducted an almost year-long investigation that included executing search warrants.
The search warrants led to the seizure and analysis of Keady’s electronic devices, Naydenoff said.
The FBI’s Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory conducted a search of the seized electronic devices and uncovered numerous photos containing child pornography.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office and Cary Police Department obtained an arrest warrant for Keady following the investigation.
Keady was initially charged with Class X felonies, which carry 6-30 years in prison each, but was later indicted on Class 2 felony charges by a grand jury, causing the Class X felonies to be dismissed.
On Wednesday, Keady entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office.
He pleaded guilty to one count of child pornography, a Class 2 felony, in exchange for his two other charges being dismissed.
McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge approved the plea deal and sentenced Keady to two years of probation and mental treatment.
Keady received 18 days of credit for time served in jail after his arrest before he was released on bond.