Homeland Security Child Porn Target Free on Bond

JOLIET, IL — A Mokena man facing child pornography charges posted a $50,000 bond at the Joliet Police Department for his freedom.

Thaddeus Augustyn, a 68-year-old retiree, was charged last week with two counts of child pornography. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security brought the case against Augustyn, according to the warrant for his arrest. Augustyn said last week that he had no idea that he was even under investigation.

“They haven’t talked to me at all,” claimed a puzzled Augustyn, who said he is unmarried and lives alone.

“You have caught me completely unaware,” Augustyn said.

A criminal complaint filed in Will County court said Augustyn possessed two pornographic digital images on a computer hard drive. One image showed a naked girl apparently younger than 13 who was exposing her vagina, the complaint said, and the other was of a naked girl apparently younger than 18 who was exposing her vagina.

Augustyn possessed the images in February, the complaint said.

Augustyn said last week that he had no knowledge of the feds searching his computer or confiscating it.

“I’m very confused,” he said.

Augustyn failed to return a call for comment following his arrest.

image via Patch archive