Chicago, IL-(ENEWSPF)- A Naperville man pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of child pornography and traveling to engage in sexual conduct with a minor.
JEREMIAH HARRIS, 22, of Naperville, Ill., pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years, while the travel charge is punishable by up to 30 years. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for June 28, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The investigation was conducted by the FBI Chicago Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, and Chicago Police Department. The Crystal Lake, Ill., Police Department and FBI Resident Agency in Waco, Texas, provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly L. Guzman.
The child pornography charge involves sexually explicit photographs and videos that Harris repeatedly requested from a 17-year-old boy in 2020. Harris admitted in a plea agreement that the boy sent the photos and videos of himself to Harris in exchange for $2,000. Harris also admitted in the plea agreement that he requested and received other images of child pornography from two other minor boys, and he attempted to entice one of them to engage in sexual activity.
The travel charge pertains to Harris traveling in 2019 from Dallas, Texas, to Orlando, Fla., to engage in sexually explicit conduct with a 15-year-old boy. Harris admitted in the plea agreement that he directed the boy to meet him in a public bathroom, where Harris sexually assaulted him.
This is a release from the United States Department of Justice.
