ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS 16-YEAR PRISION SENTENCE IN CASE AGAINST MACOUPIN COUNTY MAN WHO DISSEMINATED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS 16-YEAR PRISION SENTENCE IN CASE AGAINST MACOUPIN COUNTY MAN WHO DISSEMINATED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL

May 12, 2026

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a Virden, Illinois man was sentenced to 16 years in prison for disseminating child sexual abuse material. 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.

Jacob R. Rogers, 38, was sentenced today in the Macoupin County Circuit Court after pleading guilty to one count of Class X felony dissemination of child pornography involving children under the age of 13 and two counts of Class 2 felony aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

"I hope this sentence and our diligence in holding offenders accountable provides survivors of child exploitation additional support as they continue the healing process," Raoul said. "My office will continue to collaborate with law enforcement agencies to protect Illinois children from the trauma of victimization."

Raoul's investigators, with assistance from the Macoupin County Sheriff's Office and the Virden Police Department, searched Rogers' residence in April 2022 and arrested him after discovering evidence that he had shared child sexual abuse material.

Raoul's office prosecuted the case with Macoupin County State's Attorney Jordan Garrison's office.

"Protecting children against those who would harm them is our highest duty," said Garrison. "We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with Attorney General Raoul in this mission."

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.

Deputy Bureau Chief Shantikumar Kulkarni prosecuted the case for Raoul's High Tech Crimes Bureau.