Elwood Man's Online Romance With Underage Girl Was Really With Undercover Cop: Police

An Elwood man allegedly exposed himself to and solicited a sex act from someone he believed to be a teenage girl.

The Elwood man — 34-year-old Paul A. Wielgus — was jailed Friday after the police raided his Hoff Road home. The law reportedly seized computers and other electronic equipment during a search of the residence.

Wielgus was charged with the indecent solicitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and grooming. He faces up to five years in prison if convicted.

The exploitation charge stems from Wielgus allegedly exposing himself to someone he believed to be a child. He caught the grooming charge for allegedly asking the supposed child to engage in an act of sexual conduct.

Wielgus believed he was exposing himself to and soliciting a sex act from a 14-year-old girl, according to a statement released by the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office, but was actually communicating online with a police investigator from Gilpin County, CO.

The High Technology Crimes Unit from the state’s attorney’s office worked with the Gilpin County Sheriff’s Department, as well as the Will County Sheriff’s Department, on the case.

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow formed the High Technology Crimes Unit in 2012 to identify individuals who use the Internet to download or distribute child pornography. In the past two years, the unit has made about 80 arrests in child pornography and sexual abuse cases.

Wielgus was locked up in the Will County jail. His bond was set at $500,000.

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