Palatine man gets 25 years for filming minors

A Palatine man was sentenced to 25 years in prison Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to filming four minor children with hidden cameras in his home.

Keith Pearson, 43, of 1328 E. Joan Drive was arrested in 2004 after a parole check revealed he had child pornography in his home, authorities said at the time.

Further investigation revealed that Pearson had made videos filming three children after he invited the children and their parents into his home a number of times and surreptitiously filmed them with cameras hidden in his bathroom and bedroom. The filming took place sometime between December 2002 and January 2004. A fourth victim was filmed engaging in sexual acts with Pearson in 1999 or 2000, according to Pearson's plea agreement.

Pearson pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and potentially faced much more prison time, but cooperated with authorities to help obtain a conviction and 25-year sentence of DuPage County defendant Eric Aulinger, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Donovan.

Pearson was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Court Judge Amy St. Eve.