Politics & Government
Military Recruiter Pleads Not Guilty In Child Porn Case
James R. Wallace, 35, of Rolling Meadows, surrendered to authorities after a warrant for his arrest was issued in August.
A U.S. Marine Corps recruiter assigned to the Lake County area has pleaded not guilty after investigators found him with images and videos of child pornography.
James R. Wallace, 35, of the 2200 block of Flicker Lane in Rolling Meadows, was initially charged with four felony counts of child pornography possession, court records show.
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Wallace, an active duty staff sergeant with the U.S. Marine Corps, surrendered to authorities after a warrant for his arrest was issued on August 17.
The investigation was led by the Cyber Crimes Division of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
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The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office said that Cyber Crimes Division investigators received a tip earlier this year about an individual having access to a digital dropbox that contained illegal images.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office worked with local NCIS investigators to identify Wallace as a suspect.
Through the use of a search warrant and forensic analysis, Lake County State’s Attorney’s Investigator Wendy Dumont discovered two images and two videos of child pornography on the man’s cellular device.
Authorities later recovered additional material and four additional counts were filed against Wallace.
On Tuesday, Wallace appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
“We will never stop searching for these offenders in every corner of the web and the county. These cases are a top priority for our office, and we are constantly seeking new technology to protect the children of Lake County and northern Illinois,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said.
A Lake County judge set Wallace’s bond at $500,000 and he was released from jail after posting $50,000 cash.
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Anyone who has concerns about whether Wallace had inappropriate contact with minors is encouraged to call their local law enforcement agency, prosecutors said.
Wallace is scheduled to appear in court again on October 25 for a case management conference.
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