Man gets 30 years for soliciting video from teen

A man pleaded guilty Friday to soliciting child pornography from an Aurora teenager.

David M. Leonard, 25, agreed to a sentence of 30 years in prison in exchange for his plea. Prosecutors agreed to drop 129 other charges of solicitation of child pornography, possession of child pornography, manufacturing harmful materials, indecent solicitation of a minor, and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Kane County assistant state’s attorney Amanda Busjleta told Judge David Kliment that the mother of a 15-year-old girl told Aurora police she had found suspicious messages between a man and her daughter on Facebook.

Police determined that Leonard had messaged her multiple times, and they also met in person. Busjleta said that on Aug. 9, 2021, Leonard asked the teen to record a lewd video of herself and send it to him.

He was charged and arrested in April 2024.

Leonard will have to serve at least half his sentence before being eligible for parole, and will have to register for life as a sex offender.

Court records indicate Leonard lived in Rockford. However, Kane County jail records say he lived in Aurora.