Wheaton man guilty of child porn charge

A Wheaton man faces up to seven years in prison after admitting he downloaded child pornography.

Michael Kochan, 28, pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated possession of child pornography stemming from his September arrest.

Police searched Kochan's home on Knollwood Drive after identifying his computer in an online undercover investigation. He immediately turned over the computer, which contained several child pornography images, including one of a child younger than 13, authorities said.

“The defendant was cooperative and admitted outright he had been using a peer-to-peer (file-sharing) network and had child pornography on his computer,” Assistant State's Attorney Deb Brewer said in court.

DuPage County Judge Blanche Hill Fawell accepted the plea from Kochan, who has no prior criminal history as an adult. He faces three to seven years in prison but also could receive probation when he's sentenced on April 5.

Assistant Public Defender Steve Dalton said his client will ask for probation. Kochan has been in the county jail on $50,000 bail since his arrest.