Attorney General Kwame Raoul has charged a man from Bourbonnais, Illinois, with allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material. This case is part of Raoul’s ongoing efforts in collaboration with federal and local law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois to apprehend individuals who download and trade child sexual abuse material online.
Wayne R. Hipple, 38, was charged in Kankakee County Circuit Court with 10 counts of possession of child pornography involving a child under 13. Each count is a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison. Sentences will ultimately be determined by the court. Hipple is currently held at the Kankakee County Jail, with his next court date scheduled for October 10.
"No child deserves the trauma that results from being a victim of online exploitation, and this case is an example of the work we are doing each day to track down perpetrators who are exploiting minors," Raoul said. "My office’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to collaborate with law enforcement at all levels and throughout the state to protect children and ensure those responsible for this horrific abuse are held accountable."
Investigators from Raoul's office, along with officers from the Bourbonnais Police Department, conducted a search of Hipple's residence on September 26. The investigation revealed that Hipple used a dark web network to download child sexual abuse material. He was arrested after evidence was found.
"This is another case that emphasizes the importance of specialized task forces that work in conjunction with local law enforcement to work effectively and collaboratively to solve complex crimes that otherwise might not be investigated and prosecuted," Bourbonnais Police Chief James Phelps said.
The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Raoul’s office operates the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force with funding from the U.S. Department of Justice. The task force investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies, receiving CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. In 2023, reports to ICAC increased by 46% over 2022.
Illinois’ ICAC Task Force is one of 61 such task forces across the country and includes more than 185 local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, it has received over 46,150 CyberTips and been involved in more than 755 arrests of sexual predators. Since its inception in 2006, it has been involved in over 2,145 arrests. The task force also provides internet safety training to parents, teachers, students, and law enforcement professionals.
Attorney General Raoul encourages reporting child sexual exploitation online at cybertipline.com or child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. Local child advocacy centers can be found at childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.
Assistant Attorney General Shantikumar Kulkarni will prosecute this case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau.