CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced an Edwardsville, Illinois man was charged with dissemination and possession of child pornography. The case is part of the ongoing work of Raoul’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which enables collaboration between federal and local law enforcement officials to apprehend offenders who download and trade child pornography online.
Nicholas Misiak, 38, was charged in Madison County Circuit Court with seven counts of dissemination of child pornography, Class X felonies, each punishable by up to 30 years in prison and up to $100,000 in fines. He was also charged with four counts of possession of child pornography, Class 2 felonies, each punishable by up to seven years in prison.
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“Exploiting children through child pornography is a heinous crime, often leaving victims and their families with a lifetime of trauma and emotional scars,” Raoul said. “Perpetrators who prey on innocent children must be held accountable, which is why my office is committed to work through the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and local law enforcement to help track down and stop the individuals responsible for this exploitation.”
Raoul’s Investigations Division, with the assistance of the Edwardsville Police Department, conducted a search of Misiak’s residence on Thursday, Oct. 20 in the 1100 block of Century Drive in Edwardsville. Misiak was arrested and charged with the child pornography offenses following the search.
The public is reminded the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The arrest is part of Attorney General Raoul’s work to investigate and prosecute child pornographers in Illinois. Raoul’s office, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force that investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies. The task force receives CyberTips, or online reports of child pornography, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Over the last several years, CyberTipline reports have steadily increased. In 2021, reports to the ICAC increased by 42% over 2020.
Illinois’ ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC Task Forces throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 285 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has received more than 24,100 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 408 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 1,840 arrests of sexual predators. The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to more than 962,779 parents, teachers and students, in addition to more than 23,250 law enforcement professionals.
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