A Crystal Lake man, who was a volunteer wrestling coach at Deerfield High School, was sentenced to five years in prison for possessing horrific videos of children being sexually assaulted.
Alexander E. Cohen, 35, of Crystal Lake, was charged in May 2025 with 10 counts of possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony. He was later additionally charged with one count of reproducing child pornography, a Class X felony.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court said Cohen electronically possessed at least 10 different videos of child pornography.
The complaint detailed the videos, which all depicted children younger than 13 being sexually assaulted.
Some of the victims were under the ages of nine, eight and six, according to court documents. They were bound and gagged while being assaulted.
The Crystal Lake Police Department conducted an investigation and arrested Cohen on May 8, 2025.
Cohen was transported to the McHenry County Jail and appeared for an Initial Appearance Court hearing the following day.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Cohen pending trial, calling him a real and present danger to the community.
McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb granted the petition and ordered Cohen held in custody.
The judge said it was clear that Cohen poses a danger to the community based on the type of material in his possession.
“Even with the defendant’s lack of criminal history, by possessing the type of material he did and such an amount of the same, the defendant has supported and will continue to support a market that presents a real threat and the court is not aware of any conditions that will mitigate such,” Lamb said at the time.
Cohen’s LinkedIn profile listed him as a social media coordinator and assistant wrestling coach at Deerfield High School from September 2012 to the present.
Township High School District 113 Superintendent Dr. Chala Holland said in a letter to the school district after his arrest that Cohen served as an active volunteer coach for the Deerfield High School Boys Wrestling Team in the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years.
He had successfully passed a criminal background check.
He remained listed as a volunteer coach in the parent wrestling handbook for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years.
After the 2022-23 school year, Cohen was not named in any more handbooks. “District 113 is unaware of any allegations of criminal activity against the defendant during the time the defendant volunteered as an assistant wrestling coach,” Holland said.
“This is a very concerning situation. Please note that the charges are pending solely against the defendant named above and do not involve any other current or former employees or volunteers,” Holland said.
Court records show Cohen, who has remained held in the McHenry County Jail since his arrest, entered into a negotiated plea deal with the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office this week.
He pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony, in exchange for his more serious charge being dismissed.
McHenry County Judge Mark Gerhardt sentenced Cohen to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections pursuant to the agreement.
Cohen will receive 400 days of credit for time served in custody awaiting trial. He also took various education courses while in custody, court records show.
His prison sentence will be served at 50% in accordance with truth-in-sentencing guidelines.