Matthew R. Shipp, a 19-year-old from Toulon, Illinois, faces five charges of child pornography distribution from Attorney General Kwame Raoul, a crime with a maximum sentence of 30 years per charge according to an Illinois Attorney General's office press release. The arrest pertains to an ongoing joint effort by Raoul's office, federal law enforcement, and local departments to tackle online child pornography. Reports to the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force have seen a rise of 26% in 2022 over 2021, indicating an increase in this exploitation.
In helping Raoul's investigators execute a search warrant on a house in rural Stark County, the Geneseo Police Department enabled the apprehension of Shipp following the discovery of evidence of child pornography. Currently, Shipp is in Henry County jail, with his next court appearance scheduled on the 17th. "Survivors of child exploitation and abuse are re-victimized each and every time an image is downloaded or shared online," reiterated Attorney General Raoul.
Funded through a U.S. Department of Justice grant, Raoul's office runs the Illinois ICAC Task Force for investigating child exploitation offenses and offering law enforcement training. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children often supplies CyberTips to the Task Force, aiding in their investigations. It is important to mention here that Matthew R. Shipp is presumed innocent until proven guilty, which is a cornerstone of the U.S. legal system.
The Illinois ICAC Task Force finds itself among 61 similar task forces nationwide, which include over 175 law enforcement agencies from local, county, state, and federal levels. Since 2019, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has processed more than 35,000 CyberTips and facilitated over 600 arrests of sexual predators. An indicator of the Task Force's efficacy is its contribution to the arrest of more than 1,990 sexual predators since 2006. The Task Force also provides internet safety education and training to numerous parents, teachers, students, and law enforcement professionals in Illinois.
Incidents of online child sexual exploitation should report to www.cybertipline.com, and child abuse cases to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services' website at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. Information on local child advocacy centers is available at www.childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.
