Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul has secured a guilty plea from a Knox County man in a case related to the solicitation of child sexual abuse material, a win for the ongoing battle against child exploitation. William A. Peck, 36, from Galesburg, pleaded guilty to two counts of solicitation of child pornography, which are considered Class X felonies. The plea was a result of a collaborative effort involving both state and federal law enforcement entities aimed at addressing online child exploitation, according to a statement from the Attorney General's office.
The investigation into Peck was conducted by Raoul's investigators, the Knox County Sheriff's Office, and the Galesburg Police Department, which led to his November 2023 arrest. As per the statement made by the Illinois Attorney General's office, Peck, a previously convicted sex offender who served six years for indecent solicitation of a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material, is now awaiting sentencing scheduled for July 9. Knox County State’s Attorney Ashley Worby expressed gratitude for the work of law enforcement: "So long as predators continue to victimize innocent children, we will find them, prosecute them, and put them in prison."
This case exemplifies the continued efforts under Raoul’s supervision, which are bolstered by a U.S. Department of Justice grant, to combat crimes of child exploitation. The Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force is a significant part of these efforts, actively investigating crimes of this nature and educating those in the line of defense. The task force, part of a network encompassing over 200 law enforcement agencies, has, since 2019, received upwards of 54,700 CyberTips and effected more than 900 arrests. "In 2024, the task force was involved in rescuing more than 45 child victims from ongoing abuse," reflects the Attorney General's report.
The public is encouraged to play a vigilant role and report any cases of child sexual exploitation at cybertipline.com and child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. Additionally, resources and support for impacted children can be found through local child advocacy centers, accessible via childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org. Assistant Attorney General Katherine C. Hegarty is credited with prosecuting this particular case on behalf of Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau.
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