Retired Teacher Charged With Child Porn In Will County

JOLIET, IL - A recently retired special education teacher who lives in Will County is now being held in the Will County Adult Detention Facility after being arrested this week in connection with allegations of possessing more than 1,000 videos and photos of child pornography. The Will County Sheriff's Department took Michael P. Levin into custody Tuesday on four counts of possessing child porn. The 62-year-old man lives in Steger in the 3500 block of Ashland Avenue, according to jail logs.

A judge set Levin's bail at $500,000, meaning Levin needs to come up with 10 percent to get out of jail while his criminal case is pending at Will County's courthouse.

A press release issued by the sheriff's department indicates that a criminal investigation began in October 2017 after a cyber-tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. "During the course of that investigation, it was revealed that the possible suspect was located in the jurisdiction of Will County," sheriff's officials stated.

On Feb. 8, Will County detectives met with Levin at his home in Steger. Sheriff's officials said Levin "was cooperative and gave detectives consent to search the residence and electronic devices. During their computer forensic investigation, detectives discovered over 1,000 videos and images of child pornography," the press release stated.

Levin had recently retired as a special education teacher at Speed S.E.J.A. in Chicago Heights, police said.

Mugshot of Michael P. Levin via Will County Sheriff's Department