Mundelein sex offender faces child porn charges

A registered sex offender from Mundelein was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography after an early morning search of his Ivanhoe Estates home.

Nicholas Lee Hermann, 54, of North Sky Crest Drive, faces 10 counts of possession of child pornography and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, authorities said.

He was ordered held in Lake County jail on $500,000 bail, and is scheduled to appear in court July 21.

Authorities said officers using a search warrant to enter Hermann's home early Tuesday seized multiple electronic devices containing an extensive amount of images and videos involving children under the age of 13.

A firearm also found in the home was seized by police, authorities said.

The investigation was conducted by the Lake County Sheriff's Cybercrimes Unit and the Lake County State's Attorney's Cybercrimes Unit, authorities said.

Normally, each child pornography charge could put Hermann behind bars for 4 to 15 years, authorities said, but the charge is enhanced to 6 to 30 years because of a 2003 conviction of sexual assault of a child in Winnebago County, Wisconsin.

The gun charge could put Hermann behind bars for an additional 3 years to 7 years

The sheriff's office continues to investigate the case. Anyone with additional information on Hermann is asked to contact Detective Christopher Covelli of the Lake County Sheriff's Office Cybercrimes Unit at (847) 377-4145.