Northbrook woman pleads not guilty to child porn charges

A Northbrook woman accused of possessing lewd photographs of a 14-year-old girl pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Lake County Circuit Court.

Paula Ferdkoff, 20, faces a mandatory prison sentence of four to 15 years if convicted of all the child pornography charges against her.

Assistant State’s Attorney Mary Stanton said Ferdkoff told police she was an aspiring model and a friend of the 14-year-old’s brother when she asked the minor to pose for the lewd photographs at a Lincolnshire photo studio in July of last year.

The girl’s mother, who also knew Ferdkoff, discovered the photographs, called Ferdkoff and the two women got into a verbal argument, Stanton said.

Ferdkoff called police in Glenview, where the girl and her mother live, to file a harassment complaint against the woman and told police about the photographs, Stanton said.

Glenview police called Lincolnshire police, who seized Ferdkoff’s computer and found the photos in the memory, Stanton said.

Ferdkoff posted $7,500 for bond and appeared Wednesday before Circuit Judge John Phillips.

Phillips scheduled a trial of the case for Aug. 15 and ordered Ferdkoff to appear in court June 28.