Police announced the arrest of a 77-year-old man who they say solicited explicit video from a 14-year-old Huntley boy and tried meeting up with him, which they called a “terrible” series of events.
The Huntley Police Department received a report in June 2023 from a parent who found “disturbing content” on their 14-year-old son’s phone, according to Huntley Deputy Police Chief Kevin Keane.
Keane said the child appeared to be communicating with multiple identified adults.
The adults were exchanging images of child pornography with the juvenile, Keane said.
The Huntley Police Department Investigations Division began reviewing the victim’s devices and found conversations on various social media and communication applications where unidentified adults initiated sexually explicit messages.
Detectives located a messaging chain through Skype where an unidentified adult male initiated sexually explicit text and live video conversations with the victim even after the child disclosed his age.
The adult also tried to arrange meetings with the juvenile and offered to provide cannabis products in exchange for sexual acts.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said the suspect solicited the child to meet him at a park down the street from the child’s residence.
Keane said identifying the suspect was difficult due to the anonymous nature of the applications used.
Detectives worked to retrieve data from devices and obtained multiple search warrants and subpoenas for different online accounts in an effort to uncover the offender.
Keane said analysis of the evidence eventually led to the identification of the offender as Robert L. Wilkinson, 75, of Port Barrington.
The Huntley Police Department and the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office interviewed and arrested Wilkinson at his home in the 0-100 block of Peninsula Lane in Port Barrington on Thursday.
Wilkinson was charged with two counts of solicitation of child pornography, a Class X felony, and one count of solicitation to meet a child for unlawful purposes, a Class 4 felony.
Keane said the use of a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach was important in the investigation due to the nature of the allegations and the age of the victim.
“The victim and his family were kept informed of the process and we moved forward at a speed that was comfortable for them,” Keane said.
Wilkinson was transported to the McHenry County Jail and the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed a petition to detain him. A detention hearing is scheduled for Friday afternoon.
The Huntley Police Department said the child advocacy centers in McHenry County and Walworth County assisted in the case.
“The victim has received the resources he needs to begin healing from this terrible event,” Keane said.
Police say parents are reminded that it is crucial to discuss online risks with their children and monitor their online presence and who they are interacting with.
Parents should encourage open and honest communication about online activities and remind children to never share personal information with strangers or agree to meet someone they have only interacted with online.
Anyone with information regarding the case is asked to call the Huntley Police Department at 847-515-5311. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling the Huntley Police Tip Line at 847-515-5333.