Detective Discovers Child Porn During Carjacking Investigation: Cops

SKOKIE, IL — A collection of depictions of violent child sexual abuse was discovered by police investigating a carjacking, authorities said.

Douglas Berry, 24, of the 7000 block of North Paulina Avenue, was first arrested on Aug. 26, 2022, in Lincolnwood and charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, according to police and prosecutors.

During the investigation, police got a warrant to search his phone by extracting its data, Assistant State's Attorney Joseph DiBella said Thursday at Berry's initial court appearance in Skokie.

"During the cell phone extraction, the detective performing the extraction realized child sexual abuse material was on that phone," DiBella said. "The detective immediately stopped the extraction and an additional search warrant was submitted and signed for the child pornography."

Forensic examination of the phone revealed a collection of depictions of violent sexual abuse of children under the age of 10, DiBella said, describing a series of particularly disturbing videos.

Following his arrest Tuesday at his home, Berry waived his constitutional right to remain silent and acknowledge that it was his phone and that he had viewed the depictions of abuse on his phone, DiBella said.

According to his court appointed attorney, Berry works as a cashier at a convenient store.

Berry had been due back in court on his possession of stolen motor vehicle charge on June 23. At the time of his arrest this week, he was out on bail after posting the $2,000 cash portion of his bond.

Following this week's hearing, Berry is scheduled to appear in court to be indicted on child pornography charges on June 22.

Associate Judge Anthony Calabrese said the evidence presented by prosecutors was the most disturbing that he had encountered in his nearly four decade-career as a state's attorney, criminal defense attorney and a Cook County judge.

"I've never heard of innocent children of these ages being abused in the way described," Calabrese said, before ordering Berry to remain jailed unless he can post the $75,000 cash portion of his bond.

"Somewhere in the world, there are children who are being punished in the way described by the prosecutor for profit, and those children would not be victimized in the fashion described, which is extraordinary, but for a market for those individuals willing to pay to have these kind of videos," the judge said. "The suffering of these children is not just called by those reprobates who make the videos, but rather by those individuals who are willing to pay for these videos and create the market for the abuse."