Plea deal springs Lombard man from jail on child porn charge

A 54-year-old Lombard man, jailed since early December on child pornography charges, will be released later today according to a plea deal struck with prosecutors.

Richard August, of the 1300 block of Lore Lane, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of possession of child pornography.

In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped five remaining charges of child pornography. In turn, August was sentenced to 180 days in DuPage County jail, four years of sex offender probation, a $1,000 fine, and he will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

August has been in jail since his Dec. 2, 2013 arrest and has already served the required 90 days of the 180-day sentence.

Judge John Kinsella admonished August and warned him of the severity of the crime and punishment he faces if he reoffends.

“I don't understand why you choose to participate in the rape and molestation of a young child,” Kinsella said. “It's a pretty morbid and sick thing to do.”

Prosecutors said police removed a computer with more than 900 images and 1,900 hard disks full of videos and images from August's home following an investigation in November 2013.

During his bond hearing, prosecutors said August, who is unemployed and lives in a condo owned by his father, admitted to frequently searching for pornography featuring children ages 10 to 13.