Child Taken Into Protective Custody After Antioch Man Arrested On Child Porn Charges

ANTIOCH, IL — Lake County Sheriff’s detectives arrested a 35-year-old Lake County man on multiple child pornography charges after he initially gave deputies a fabricated story about how he came into possession of the material.

On March 25, deputies met with Stuart M. Lowrey, of the 42400 block of North Poplar Avenue in unincorporated Antioch, after he reported a woman had handed him a cellphone containing sexually explicit videos of a child and provided the passcode. Lowrey told deputies he identified the child in the videos as a relative, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

After detectives questioned Lowrey further, he admitted he fabricated the story.

A further investigation revealed Lowrey had previously taken photographs of the child and her mother and used an online service to generate sexually explicit videos, including AI-created videos exploiting the child, according to police.

Lowrey has been charged with five counts of producing child pornography, which are Class X felonies. Detectives also executed a search warrant at his home on April 1, seizing additional electronic devices for forensic analysis, according to a news release.

The child was placed into protective custody by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, and detectives said additional charges are possible as the investigation continues.

Lowrey is being held at the Lake County Jail while awaiting trial.