Former Downers Grove physician gets eight years for child porn habit
A former Downers Grove physician has been sentenced to eight years in prison for possession of child pornography.
Judge Liam Brennan sentenced Edward J. McMenamin, 68, Friday afternoon.
McMenamin, of Downers Grove, entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of child pornography in March.
Prosecutors said the former doctor, who treated children, had "hundreds of images of child pornography" on his computer when he was arrested last May.
"He is a mandated (child abuse) reporter," Assistant State's Attorney Deb Brewer said during Friday's sentencing hearing. "And he goes home at night and watches videos of children being raped."
Prosecutors also played portions of McMenamin's confession and questioning by police, in which McMenamin told them he was aroused by girls between the ages of 5 and 12. He also confessed to being "fascinated" by bestiality videos featuring adults. McMenamin also could be heard telling officers that he became addicted to child porn about six years ago after growing bored with "regular stuff."
Police were tipped off to McMenamin's downloading of child porn in late 2013 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through the Illinois Attorney General, Illinois Crimes Against Children Unit.
On May 29, 2014, a DuPage County judge issued a $500,000 arrest warrant for McMenamin. That same evening, Downers Grove officers arrested McMenamin outside his home. McMenamin has been out on bail since his arrest after posting $50,000 bail.
McMenamin's attorney, Terry Ekl, argued for the minimum six-year sentence, saying the decorated Marine veteran of Vietnam "has a sickness for which he needs treatment and help."
McMenamin told Brennan that Saturday will be the anniversary of his sobriety and stressed the sex-offender treatment he has received has allowed him to realize that the pornography he watched ruined the lives of several children.
"Child pornographers such as Edward McMenamin believe their sickening needs trump the law," DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a written statement.
"Today, Mr. McMenamin learned that his lust for child pornography, which claims hundreds of thousands of victims every year, will cost him his freedom for the next eight years."
McMenamin will be required to serve half of his sentence before being eligible for parole. He must also register as a sex offender for life.