The Lake County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children task force rescued five children from abuse and exploitation and arrested 13 suspects in 2025, officials announced.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office was assigned over 90 tips through the National Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force last year.
The tips ranged in severity and urgency and often involved active exploitation of children, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
The investigations commonly involve Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sex trafficking, child sexual molestation, sextortion and related self-harm threats, distribution of obscene material to minors and deceptive online tactics used to lure children.
The Sheriff’s ICAC Team made 13 arrests related to the investigations, including charges involving possession and dissemination of child sexual abuse material, grooming and indecent solicitation, Covelli said Tuesday.
Additional arrests are anticipated as several investigations remain under review.
“Most importantly, in 2025 investigators rescued at least five children from continued abuse and exploitation,” Covelli said.
Investigators also identified a new child victim series through the Child Victim Identification Program (CVIP).
Identification of a victim through CVIP means the child has been located and safeguarded and can now be recognized in future investigations worldwide to prevent further unidentified victimization.
The investigations require the review of thousands of images and videos. “In some cases, single investigations involve tens of thousands of files,” Covelli said.
The sheriff’s office also uses an electronic detection canine, Canine Enzo, who is specially trained to locate hidden electronic storage devices.
Investigators work closely with the Illinois Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force, the Illinois Attorney General’s Digital Forensics Division, the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center to ensure thorough investigations and conduct child-sensitive interviews when needed.
The sheriff’s office conducted multiple internet safety presentations in local schools throughout 2025 to educate students about online risks and prevention strategies.
“Behind every image and every case file is a real child enduring unimaginable abuse. The work our cybercrime investigators do is difficult and often heartbreaking, but it is absolutely critical,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
“In 2025 alone, our team helped rescue multiple children from continued exploitation. That is exactly why we do this work, to protect the innocent and stop predators before they can harm another child,” Idleburg said.
Parents and guardians are recommended to familiarize themselves with the “Take It Down” program operated by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
The program assists in removing or stopping the online sharing of nude, partially nude or sexually explicit images involving minors.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said they remain committed to holding offenders accountable and protecting children from exploitation in both physical and digital spaces.