Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office has charged a Montgomery County man with the alleged dissemination of child sexual abuse material. This case is part of Raoul’s ongoing collaboration with federal and local law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse images online.
The Attorney General’s office charged Troy A. Shull, 46, of Raymond, Illinois, in Montgomery County Circuit Court with six counts of dissemination of child pornography. Each count is a Class X felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Sentences will be determined by the court. Shull is currently detained at the Montgomery County jail, with his next court appearance scheduled for October 17.
“Child exploitation can cause trauma to survivors and their families that can lead to a lifetime of physical and emotional recovery,” Raoul stated. “I will continue to collaborate with local, state, and federal law enforcement to ensure these predators are held accountable and survivors receive the justice they deserve.”
Investigators from the Attorney General’s office, assisted by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Illinois State Police (ISP) South Central Illinois Drug Task Force, conducted a search of Shull’s residence on September 5. Shull was arrested after admitting to downloading files depicting child sexual abuse.
"Multi-jurisdictional task forces are critical to identifying and stopping criminal behavior, including the exploitation of children," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. "Through our partnerships with our prosecutorial partners at all levels, and training with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, we will continue to identify child predators and bring them to justice."
Raoul’s office is co-prosecuting this case with Montgomery County State’s Attorney Andrew Affrunti.
The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Raoul's office runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force under a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. The task force investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies while receiving CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In 2023 alone, reports increased by 46% over those in 2022.
Illinois’ ICAC Task Force comprises more than 185 local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies as one of 61 ICAC task forces nationwide. Since its inception in 2006, it has been involved in over 2,145 arrests related to sexual predation.
Attorney General Raoul reminds the public that incidents of child sexual exploitation can be reported online at cybertipline.com or dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov for cases involving child abuse.
Assistant Attorney General Jenifer Peck is prosecuting this case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau.