After the detention hearing, Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart stated,  

“Our office is committed to protecting all children in Lake County, and I commend the Sheriff’s team and the Attorney General’s Office for their investigation. This offender is now jailed indefinitely because of our new system that does not allow him to post cash and be released. Others charged with this exact same crime have been able to post cash in the past, and those days are over.” 

On Tuesday, May 7, 2024, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office arrested Honegger after locating dozens of videos and images of child pornography while executing a search warrant in Honegger’s Lake Zurich home. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office assisted in the search.  

During the detention hearing, the State argued that Honegger’s pre-trial release would pose a real and present threat to the community because the videos and images found in Honegger’s phone are a form of violence, sexual in nature, and that if it weren’t for people like Honegger consuming that content, there would not be a demand for predators to continue making child pornography and harming children. 

The State further argued that Pre-Trial Bond Services does not have the ability to engage in 24-hour surveillance of Honegger’s home and would not be able ensure Honegger wouldn’t continue downloading and disseminating child pornography if he had pre-trial release. 

Since September 2023, individuals who are charged with possessing or creating child pornography are no longer eligible to use cash to post bond in order to obtain pre-trial release. The SAFE-T Act prevents violent offenders and sex offenders from being able to post cash bond if a judge determines they are dangerous to the community.  

Honegger’s next court hearing is scheduled for May 28 at 1:30 p.m. for preliminary hearing.