Ingleside man accused of videotaped sex with 3-year-old

An Ingleside man is being held on $1 million bond on accusations he videotaped himself having sexual intercourse with a 3-year-old girl.

Lake County sheriff's police said they took Andrew J. Pfeifer into custody at his home without incident about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Pfeifer, 44, of 34557 N. Catherine St., was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.

Pfeifer's $1 million bond was set Thursday morning at a hearing before Lake County Associate Judge Raymond Collins.

Sheriff's office spokesman Sgt. Christopher Thompson said Pfeifer's 40-year-old live-in girlfriend discovered the video in a safe in the couple's home Wednesday evening. The woman has lived with Pfeifer in unincorporated northwest Lake County since April, he said.

Thompson said the woman became distraught and raced to the nearby Round Lake Beach Police Department about 6:30 p.m. after playing the tape of Pfeifer abusing his 3-year-old relative. Round Lake Beach wasn't the correct police jurisdiction, so the sheriff's office was called to investigate.

Investigators confronted Pfeifer at his home because he was identified on the video, Thompson said. He said police seized three computer towers for hard-drive analysis and five videotapes.

Lake County Undersheriff Charles Fagan issued a statement regarding Pfeifer.

"We will continue to look into Pfeifer's past to see if any other incidents on assault of children have taken place," Fagan said. "This is a gut-wrenching case and Pfeifer deserves the stiffest of penalties for his actions."

Thompson said investigators believe Pfeifer taped himself with the girl. If convicted, Pfeifer could face up to 30 years in prison.

"When you see a child being abused in any kind of way - especially a sexual way - to a rational, emotional person, it's disturbing," he said.