ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL ANNOUNCES 20-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR CUMBERLAND COUNTY MAN WHO PRODUCED, POSSESSED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL ANNOUNCES 20-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR CUMBERLAND COUNTY MAN WHO PRODUCED, POSSESSED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL

October 19, 2026

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a Greenup, Illinois man who produced child sexual abuse material has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. 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 child sexual abuse material online.

William A. Williams, 52, was sentenced by Cumberland County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Braden today after pleading guilty to two counts of Class X felony production of child sexual abuse material and one count of Class 2 felony possession of child sexual abuse material.

"Child exploitation is a horrendous crime that leaves life-long scars on survivors and their families," Raoul said. "My hope is that this sentencing can help provide some closure for survivors. My office's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to track down and hold accountable those who commit these reprehensible actions."

In August 2024, Illinois Attorney General investigators, with the assistance of the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office and the Greenup Police Department, conducted a search of Williams' residence in the 1600 block of County Road 1050N in Greenup. Williams was arrested following the discovery of digital images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material on several devices.

Raoul's office prosecuted the case with the Cumberland County State's Attorney Bryan Robbins.

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 sexual abuse material, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Over the last several years, CyberTipline reports have steadily increased. In 2025, reports to the ICAC Task Force increased by 45% over 2024.

Illinois' ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC task forces throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 200 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has received more than 82,900 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 1,150 arrests of sexual predators. In 2025, the task force was involved in rescuing more than 30 child victims from ongoing abuse. The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to over 1 million parents, teachers, students and more than 25,000 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 Ruben Herrera prosecuted the case for Raoul's High Tech Crimes Bureau.