Carpentersville man faces prison for trafficking in child pornography
A Carpentersville man faces anywhere from five to 27 years in prison for trafficking in child pornography.
Peter Thomas, 32, of the 3300 block of Blue Ridge, pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of transporting child pornography via computer and one count of possessing a computer containing child pornography.
Thomas was snagged when an FBI agent in New York entered a chatroom posing as a "junior high hottie" and asked Thomas to send child porn in exchange for a movie.
The agent sent the movie -- which was actually a file that could not be opened -- and Thomas sent back 20 pictures, assistant U.S. attorney Joel Hammerman told U.S. District Judge Blanche Manning.
When agents traced the Internet protocol address to Thomas, he admitted he had images on his computer "that should not be there," Hammerman quoted Thomas as telling federal agents.
"I possessed a computer that contained ... child pornography," said Thomas Thursday in pleading guilty.
Thomas' potential prison sentence depends greatly on whether Judge Manning finds that any of the pictures depicted children under 12, showed sado-masochistic acts or totaled more than 300 -- government allegations that Thomas' attorney Alan Blumenthal denies.
Thomas remains free on bond. His sentencing is set for Oct. 18.