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OFFICE OF THE STATE'S ATTORNEY
LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
ERIC F. RINEHART
STATE'S ATTORNEY
Aug. 18, 2021
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jim Newton
(224) 374-2376
jnewton@lakecountyil.gov
Marine Recruiter for Lake County Area Charged with Possession of Child Porn
James R. Wallace
(Lake County, IL) - A U.S. Marine Corps recruiter assigned to the Lake County area faces child pornography charges after authorities allegedly found multiple images and videos of underage children on his mobile phone.
James R. Wallace turned himself in to authorities after a warrant for his arrest was issued on Aug. 17, 2021. A Lake County judge set Wallace’s bond at $500,000.
Wallace, 35, an active duty staff sergeant with the Marine Corps, has been charged with four felony counts of child pornography possession, with two related to still pictures and the other two related to videos.
This matter was investigated by the Cyber Crimes Division of the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Cyber Crimes Division investigators received a tip earlier this year about an individual having access to a digital drop box that contained illegal images.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office then worked with local NCIS investigators to identify Wallace as a suspect. Through the use of a search warrant and forensic analysis, Lake County State’s Attorney’s Investigator Wendy Dumont discovered child pornography on his cellular device.
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart indicated that there would be a new focus on prosecuting child pornography in his office.
“We will never stop searching for these offenders in every corner of the web and the county. These cases are a top priority for our office, and we are constantly seeking new technology to protect the children of Lake County and northern Illinois,” State's Attorney Rinehart said.
Wallace is next scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 9.
Anyone who has concerns about whether Wallace had inappropriate contact with minors is encouraged to call their home law enforcement agency.
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Lake County State's Attorney's Office
18 N. County Street
Waukegan, IL 60085
Phone: (847) 377-3000
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