A Chicago veterinarian who is also a prominent figure on the national dog show circuit has been arrested on allegations of distributing child pornography. Adam Stafford King, 39, of Elburn is facing federal charges, with court documents claiming he shared explicit images and videos via Telegram, a popular messaging app.

King was arrested on Friday after a lengthy FBI investigation, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. The FBI says it traced the illegal activity to King's Telegram account, "@pervchidude," during an electronic device search for a separate case in New York. During their communications, King allegedly described how he drugged and sexually abused his nieces and nephews, giving them allergy medicine to render them unconscious.

Federal prosecutors also accused King of planning to sexually assault his soon-to-be-born son, whom he is expecting via surrogacy. According to an NBC Chicago report, King sent a photo of a baby's outfit in a conversation thread and shared ultrasound images of the unborn child.

An FBI search of King's residence on March 5 uncovered evidence linking him to the crime, including the baby outfit and cellphone images that matched the distributed photos. Despite his refusal to be interviewed by agents, King granted access to his cell phone, which further incriminated him. The accused has worked at MedVet Chicago since 2019 and is known for his work as a dog breeder and judge. As of Monday afternoon following his arrest, his biography had been removed from MedVet's website.

Prosecutors have urged a federal judge to deny King bail, citing the severity of the charges. His lawyers have filed for his release on bond, with the next court appearance scheduled for Tuesday. King's attorney, when reached out by NBC Chicago, declined to comment on the matter.