CHICAGO | A 25-year-old Schererville man is among a group of several self-identified “boy lovers” sentenced on federal child pornography charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Gary S. Shapiro announced Monday.
Jose Garcia is sentenced to 33 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, according to a news release from the U.S. attorney’s office.
Garcia, who cooperated with a federal investigation into crimes of child exploitation, pleaded guilty to producing, possessing and distributing child pornography.
Also sentenced was Jacob Elliott, 32, of Matteson, Ill., who received 20 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Elliott, who also cooperated with authorities, pleaded guilty to producing and possessing child pornography.
The convictions resulted from an investigation by the Chicago FBI’s Innocent Images Task Force, which culminated with an undercover sting in September 2009.
Six of eight defendants pleaded guilty, and three of them cooperated with authorities against the others. The defendants, who met in person and online to discuss their sexual interest in children and trade child pornography, were arrested during, of soon after, a purported party at a hotel in Skokie, Ill.
Garcia was arrested when he showed up for what he believed was going to be a “boy lovers” party.
Sentences in the case ranged from nine years for a Crest Hill, Ill., man to 120 years for a Missouri man.
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