Antioch abuse suspect now charged with possessing child porn

Two days after posting bail on charges that he sexually assaulted a 10-year-old family acquaintance, a 44-year-old Antioch man has been charged with possession of child pornography, according to police.

Bret Newman was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse and exploitation of a child on Sept. 17, two weeks after a 10-year-old girl's parents brought the matter to police. The girl confided that she may have been abused on Sept. 3., police said.

An investigation revealed Newman was a family acquaintance and had inappropriate physical contact with the girl on more than one occasion and had conversations of a sexual nature with her, according to police.

During the Sept. 17 arrest, police seized five computers in his residence and numerous digital media components.

He was held on $100,000 bail but posted the required $10,000 on Monday and was released from the Lake County jail, according to police.

Police continued to work the case while he was behind bars, and with the assistance of the Lake County state's attorney's cybercrimes division, they discovered numerous images of child pornography on the seized equipment, according to police.

On Wednesday, Newman was arrested again at a friend's residence in Richmond and charged with aggravated child pornography, a crime punishable by six to 30 years in prison.

Newman is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail and is due in court at 9 a.m. Oct. 12, according to police.

If found guilty on all counts he could face between 10 and 40 years in prison.

Police said there is a possibility of additional victims in the case. Anyone withe information should call the Antioch Police Department at (847) 395-8585.