ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CHARGES BUREAU COUNTY MAN WITH POSSESSION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL CHARGES BUREAU COUNTY MAN WITH POSSESSION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL

August 30, 2024

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul charged a Spring Valley, Illinois man with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The case is part of Raoul's ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade CSAM online.

The Attorney General's office charged Brandon Swiskoski, 30, in Bureau County Circuit Court with five counts of possession of child pornography, Class 1 felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison, and one count of failure to register as a sex offender, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison. Sentences are ultimately determined by the court. Swiskoski is detained at the Bureau County jail. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 23.

"Survivors of child exploitation and abuse are revictimized each time these heinous images or videos are downloaded or shared," Raoul said. "My office will continue to collaborate with state's attorneys and law enforcement agencies to hold individuals who prey on and exploit young children accountable."

After receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Raoul's investigators, along with officers from the Illinois State Police and the Spring Valley Police Department, conducted an investigation and discovered downloaded CSAM on Swiskoski's cell phone. He was arrested on Aug. 28.

Raoul's office is co-prosecuting this case with the Bureau County State's Attorney's Office.

The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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 2023, reports to the ICAC increased by 46% over 2022.

Illinois' ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC task forces throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 185 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has received more than 46,150 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 755 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 2,145 arrests of sexual predators. The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to tens of thousands of parents, teachers, students and law enforcement professionals

Attorney General Raoul is reminding the public that child sexual exploitation can be reported online at cybertipline.com and child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. In addition, local child advocacy centers can be found at childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.

Assistant Attorney General Katherine Hegarty is prosecuting the case for Raoul's High Tech Crimes Bureau.