Former firefighter pleads guilty in porn case

A former Waukegan firefighter accused of possessing images of child pornography pleaded guilty to a lesser offense Tuesday in Lake County circuit court.

Nathan Clark, 37, was placed on probation for two years after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of obscenity during a hearing before Circuit Judge Daniel Shanes.

Clark, who was a Waukegan firefighter for about two years before resigning shortly after his arrest in September 2009, was charged after police in Franklin, Tenn., contacted Lake County sheriff's officials about a discovery they had made. Assistant State's Attorney Mary Stanton said Tennessee officials found a box of DVD's containing child pornography in a house in Franklin previously owned by Clark.

Local investigators went to Clark's house in the 1700 block of White Fence Lane in unincorporated Libertyville Township on May 12 and seized computer equipment including a laptop, tower and separate hard drive.

An examination of the equipment revealed more than 500 images of child pornography organized into several folders, Stanton said, and Clark was charged with possession of child pornography after the evidence was presented to a grand jury.

Clark's attorney, Steven McCollum of Waukegan, told Shanes on Tuesday that a computer expert hired by the defense had issued a report saying there was no evidence Clark had ever accessed any of the computer files.

Shanes accepted the plea negotiation presented by Stanton and Shanes that required Clark to forfeit all the computer equipment taken from him during the investigation.

Clark must also undergo a sex offender evaluation and complete any treatment recommended by the evaluator as part of his sentence.

Shanes also ordered Clark to perform 200 hours of community service.