A 37-year-old Des Plaines man is behind bars after sheriff’s police say they uncovered thousands of child sexual abuse images and videos on his electronic devices. Nathaniel Zito was arrested Tuesday and now faces charges of dissemination and possession of child pornography. Investigators reported finding roughly 6,500 videos and images, and he was ordered held in Cook County Jail after an initial appearance Thursday at the Skokie courthouse.
The Internet Crimes Against Children investigation started in September after a cybertip to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Detectives said they traced a social media account to Zito. In a press release from the Cook County Sheriff's Office, sheriff’s police said investigators executed search warrants on Tuesday, seized multiple electronic devices and took Zito into custody.
According to that release, forensic exams of the seized devices turned up approximately 6,500 images and videos of child sexual abuse. Investigators said Zito consented to a search of his phone and, after waiving his Miranda rights, told officers he had both sent and received illicit material using his phone and laptop.
What investigators say they found
The sheriff’s press release states the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges on Wednesday, and that Zito was ordered held after his initial court appearance in Skokie on Thursday. Authorities said the sheer quantity of material, along with related social media activity, formed the basis for the dissemination and possession counts. Detectives are still combing through the seized devices, and the case remains active as they pursue additional leads.
Legal next steps
Prosecutors have approved charges of dissemination of child pornography and possession of child pornography. The sheriff’s office emphasized in its announcement that Zito, like any defendant, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court. After his appearance, he was booked into Cook County Jail. Future court dates will be listed through court records and the clerk’s office as the case moves forward. According to the sheriff’s release, attorneys for Zito have not publicly commented.
Local context
Sheriff’s Police say their Internet Crimes Against Children unit has pursued similar cases repeatedly in recent years, bringing related charges in dozens of investigations since 2020. The office points to that track record as an example of how online cybertips can quietly snowball into full-blown criminal cases.
The cybertip system run by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a routine tool for law enforcement, flagging suspected child sexual abuse material and funneling leads to investigators across the country. In this case, officials say that pipeline helped pull back the curtain on the alleged activity in Des Plaines.
Investigators urged anyone with information relevant to this case to contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Police through the agency’s regular contact channels or to reach out to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.
