Investigators arrested a convicted sexual predator in Zion after they found him on Thursday with hundreds of child sexual abuse material files, some as young as toddlers, which the sheriff called “horrific.”
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a tip from an internet provider indicating a device in Lake County was uploading suspected child pornography.
Sheriff’s detectives began an investigation and determined the likely source was coming from a residence in the 1800 block of Galilee Avenue in Zion, according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli.
Detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence and conducted the warrant with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office on Thursday.
Detectives located hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos of children under the age of 13, some as young as toddlers, Covelli said.
Covelli said the material belonged to Amaury Torralva, 36, of Zion.
Torralva is a registered sexual predator due to a previous child pornography conviction after being charged in 2014 in DuPage County.
He is currently on parole for that conviction after being released from prison in January 2021. His mandatory supervised release period is a minimum of three years and up to life.
Torralva was arrested after the search warrant on Thursday and transported to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the facts and circumstances of the case and approved 10 counts of enhanced possession of child sexual abuse material, a Class 1 felony. Additional charges are possible.
“Every image and video in these cases represents a child who has been exploited and abused. This offender had already been convicted of a sex offense involving children and still chose to continue engaging in this horrific conduct,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
“Our investigators will continue working tirelessly to identify and arrest those who prey on children and to ensure they are held fully accountable,” Idleburg said.
Torralva remains held in the Lake County Jail pending a First Appearance Court hearing on Friday morning.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office intends to file a petition to detain Torralva in custody while he awaits trial.