**June 2, 2025**
**Chicago –** Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed charges against Eli Barthel, a 23-year-old police officer from Freeport, Illinois, for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse materials. This case is part of Raoul’s continuous effort, in cooperation with federal and local law enforcement entities across Illinois, to identify and apprehend individuals involved in the downloading and distribution of such materials online.
Barthel has been charged in Stephenson County Circuit Court with two Class 2 felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material, each carrying potential sentences of up to seven years in prison, along with one Class 3 felony count, which carries a maximum of five years. The final sentencing will be decided by the court, and Barthel is currently held at the Stephenson County Jail.
“Child exploitation is a horrific crime,” stated Raoul. “I am dedicated to ensuring that victims and their families receive justice by holding accountable those who perpetrate these crimes, regardless of their status.”
Investigators from Raoul’s office executed a search warrant at Barthel’s residence on the 500 block of North Sierra Drive in Freeport, where they found evidence leading to his arrest. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) contributed to the investigation.
“The FBI is dedicated to utilizing all available resources across our law enforcement and prosecutorial networks to hold accountable those who seek to exploit or abuse children,” said Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Chicago Division. “Abusing the trust placed in police officers is utterly unacceptable. Combating child sexual abuse remains a top priority for the FBI, and we will continue to leverage every tool at our disposal to safeguard our children and communities.”
Raoul’s office is collaborating with Stephenson County State’s Attorney Carl Larson’s office to prosecute this case.
It’s important to note that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Through a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Raoul’s office manages the [Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force](https://illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/safer-communities/safeguarding-children/Internet-Crimes-Against-Children-Task-Force/), which investigates child exploitation crimes and provides training for law enforcement agencies. The task force receives CyberTips, or reports related to child sexual abuse materials, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Over recent years, reports to CyberTipline have steadily increased, with an 11% rise noted in 2024 over the previous year.
Illinois’ ICAC Task Force is among 61 such task forces nationwide, comprising a network of over 200 local, county, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General’s ICAC Task Force has received upwards of 60,000 CyberTips, contributing to over 1,000 arrests of sexual predators. Overall, since 2006, the task force has been involved in over 2,400 arrests. In 2024, it played a role in rescuing more than 45 children from ongoing abuse, and it has educated tens of thousands of parents, teachers, students, and law enforcement personnel on internet safety.
Attorney General Raoul urges the public to report child sexual exploitation online at [cybertipline.com](http://www.cybertipline.com/) and child abuse at [dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov](https://dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov/). Local child advocacy centers can be located at [childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org](https://www.childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org/).
Assistant Attorney General Shantikumar Kulkarni is prosecuting the case for Raoul’s High Tech Crimes Bureau, with High Tech Crimes Bureau Chief David Haslett and Special Investigator Jacob Vekemans overseeing the investigation.
