Two Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has announced charges against two area men on multiple counts of possessing, reproducing and disseminating child pornography. Madigan said the arrests are part of her office's "Operation Glass House' initiative to apprehend the most active offenders who download and trade child pornography online.

Madigan's investigators and the Vandalia Police Department Wednesday arrested 34-year-old Ryan J. Koontz after executing a search warrant at his Vandalia home in the 500 block of South Cypress Street. Koontz was charged in Fayette County with two counts of distribution of child pornography, a Class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison, and eight counts of possession of child pornography, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to three to seven years in prison. Bond was set Wednesday at $300,000.

On Tuesday, 26-year-old Christopher L. Cook was arrested after investigators with Madigan's office and the Vandalia Police Department executed a search warrant at his Centralia home in the 600 block of North Walnut Street. Cook was charged in Marion County with five counts of distribution of child pornography and nine counts of possession of child pornography. Bond was set Wednesday at $150,000.

Wednesday's operation was assisted by the Vandalia Police Department, and the Fayette County State's Attorney's Office will prosecute the case. Tuesday's operation was assisted by the Centralia Police Department, and the Marion County State's Attorney's Office will prosecute the case.

"We're happy to be a part of the Attorney General's operation to get offenders like this off the streets," said Fayette County State's Attorney Josh Morrison. "We thank the Attorney General's Office for their assistance and hope to partner together on future investigations."

"The Centralia Police Department is pleased that we could assist the Attorney General's Office in the apprehension of a person involved with the distribution of child pornography," said Centralia Police Officer Drug Krutsinger. "The Attorney General's High Tech Crimes Bureau utilized Centralia's police facility to investigate Christopher L. Cook and later arrest Cook on 14 counts of child porn possession. The Centralia Police Department appreciates the efforts of the Attorney General's Office to keep the Centralia area free from child pornography."