Arlington Hts. prep referee arrested on child porn charge

A high school referee from Arlington Heights was charged with aggravated child pornography after more than 100 inappropriate images were found on his computer, authorities said.

After a two-month investigation, Larry Moser, 57, of the 600 block of West Burning Tree Lane, was arrested after he turned himself in to the Cook County Sheriff's Police on Wednesday, said Lisa Gordon of the sheriff's police press office.

Many of the images found on Moser's computer showed children under the age of 13, and many were of graphic sexual acts involving those young children, according to a sheriff's department release.

Moser, who identified himself to investigators as an executive in the insurance industry, is also an Illinois High School Association referee, according to the police release. Moser was suspended immediately, the IHSA stated in a release.

"Proper protocol has been followed in this situation," said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. "The individual who was suspended today had not been charged with any crimes until Thursday and was not a registered sex offender, nor did he have any previous record. The IHSA has never received any complaints concerning his conduct while acting as an IHSA official. He was suspended immediately after we were alerted by the Cook County Sheriff's Department. We appreciate the Cook County Sheriff's Department rapid response in communicating this information to our office and member schools."

When confronted with the evidence against him, Moser told investigators he now wants to become a "crusader against child pornography," according to the police release.

Moser appeared in Rolling Meadows bond court on Thursday and received a $100,000 bond.

His next court date will be March 25.