Detectives have arrested a Waukegan man who they say was in possession of almost 200 images and videos of child sexual abuse, including some as young as toddlers.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a tip from an online cloud storage website regarding a device uploading child pornography to their platform.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said sheriff’s detectives began an investigation and determined the likely source was coming from a residence in the 1100 block of Gladys Court in Waukegan.
Detectives spoke with one of the residents of the home, 21-year-old Brandon C. Roberson.
Covelli said detectives took possession of a laptop Roberson used and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit conducted a forensic analysis of it.
Their analysis revealed close to 200 images and videos containing child pornography, some of which depicted children as young as toddlers being sexually assaulted, Covelli said.
An arrest warrant was drafted and approved by a judge for Roberson, along with a search warrant for his residence.
Sheriff’s detectives, Illinois Attorney General’s Office cybercrime investigators and Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office investigators arrested Roberson on Thursday.
They also seized several additional devices with electronic storage.
Covelli said the additional electronics seized are being forensically analyzed and it is believed they contain additional child pornography.
“Protecting our children from those who seek to harm them is among our highest priorities. Our detectives work tirelessly to identify and apprehend child predators, and this arrest is a testament to their dedication,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
“We are grateful for the invaluable collaboration with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, as it takes a united effort to bring these offenders to justice. We will continue to use every available resource to protect the most vulnerable members of our community,” Idleburg said.
Roberson was charged with three counts of possessing child pornography but additional charges are likely.
He remains held in the Lake County Jail pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday afternoon.