South Holland Man Shared, Stored Child Pornography: Cops

Photo: Orland Park Police Department

A South Holland man targeted in a months-long investigation was arrested Tuesday after a search of his home uncovered videos and photos depicting children engaged in sex acts.

Timothy DeVries, 51, of the 16700 block of S. Dobson Avenue, allegedly used a “publicly available peer-to-peer network” to share some of the child pornography files found on his laptop, according to police. He has been charged with Class X Felony Distribution of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography, Class 2 Felony.

Orland Park Police Investigators and members of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office ICAC task force from Oak Forest, Barlett and Alsip, focused on DeVries during the three-month long investigation, and on Dec. 8, executed a search warrant at his home. A forensic preview analysis of his Dell laptop computer found the file sharing software installed on the laptop. A shared file folder, where files were made available for dissemination by DeVries, contained over 11,000 files. Many of those files were designated child pornography.

DeVries was taken into custody and transported to the Orland Park Police Department. He cooperated with investigators and admitted that the Dell laptop belonged to him, and that he downloaded child pornography through peer to peer file sharing program. He also admitted to storing the child pornography on external USB drives, and that the pornography he downloaded was of children.

DeVries appeared in bond court Thursday and was issued a $250,000 D Bond. He will next appear in court on Jan. 6, Room 103 in the Bridgeview Courthouse.