Crime & Safety

Joint Investigation by Downers Grove, Naperville Police Leads to Child Pornography Arrest

Gary L. Harris, 51, of St. Charles, is facing multiple child pornography and drug charges following a search of his home last month, authorities announced Wednesday.

St. Charles police have arrested a 51-year-old St. Charles man after a joint child pornography investigation in Naperville and Downers Grove led authorities here.

Gary L. Harris, 51, of the 1800 block of Howard Street, was arrested at 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22, 2012, upon surrendering to St. Charles police, according to a release from the police department.

He is charged with four counts of aggravated child pornography, a Class 2 felony; one count of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, cocaine, a Class X felony; and one county of manufacture/delivery of cannabis, more than 30 grams but less than 500 grams, a Class 3 felony.

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According to St. Charles police, authorities in Naperville and Downers Grove began investigating the sharing of child pornography in a file-sharing network, and their investigation implicated a St. Charles resident’s involvement. Police in those jurisdictions provided St. Charles police investigators with an IP address and a DVD.

St. Charles police obtained a search warrant, which they executed at Harris’ residence on Sept. 25, seizing computer equipment and DVDs as evidence. A green leafy substance and white powder also were also seized at the residence that tested positive for marijuana and cocaine. The release states that the investigation revealed that some of the many DVDs investigators reviewed were child pornography.

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The Kane County States Attorney’s Office then authorized the charges against Harris.

Police obtain an arrest warrant with $100,000 bail, and Harris turned himself in early Monday afternoon, the release states. Harris was booked, processed, and released on $10,000 cash bond.

Harris has a court appearance scheduled at 9 a.m. Nov. 14 in Room 311 of the Kane County Judicial Center.

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