Lindenhurst man faces child porn charges

A Lindenhurst man was ordered held on $100,000 bond Wednesday after being charged with possession of more than 250 images of child pornography.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Mary Stanton said Jeffrey Mortenson, 23, faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of aggravated child pornography.

Stanton said investigators from her office traced downloads of child pornography to computers used in Mortenson's residence on the 2000 block of Highpoint Road.

The investigators went to the house and received permission to search Mortenson's computer and a portable hard drive.

More than 250 lewd images of children under the age of 13 were found on the devices, Stanton said, and Mortenson was arrested at his home Tuesday night.

Mortenson went before Associate Judge Raymond Collins on Wednesday and was ordered held on $100,000 bond.

Collins refused Mortenson's request for a public defender and told Mortenson he must appear in court Aug. 30 to report on his progress in hiring an attorney.