ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS PRISON SENTENCE FOR FORMER GALENA POLICE OFFICER OVER POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL OBTAINS PRISON SENTENCE FOR FORMER GALENA POLICE OFFICER OVER POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

October 02, 2025

Chicago - Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced a former Galena police officer was sentenced to three and a half years in prison on Wednesday for possessing child pornography. The case is part of Raoul's ongoing work, in collaboration with federal law enforcement agencies and local law enforcement officials throughout Illinois, to apprehend offenders who download and trade child sexual abuse material online.

Eli Barthel, 23, of Freeport, Illinois was sentenced by Stephenson County Circuit Court Judge Glenn R. Schorsch after pleading guilty to one Class 2 felony count of child pornography.

"This sentence proves no one is above the law, especially those who are expected to enforce it. It also represents justice for the innocent children and families who were victimized through these heinous crimes," Raoul said. "I am committed to holding perpetrators accountable to prevent other children from being abused. My office will continue to collaborate with local law enforcement agencies to protect Illinois' children."

In June, Raoul's investigators searched Barthel's Freeport home and arrested him after evidence of child sexual abuse material was discovered. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Freeport Police Department assisted with the investigation.

Raoul's office co-prosecuted the case with Stephenson County State's Attorney Carl Larson's office.

"I would like to thank the investigators, our law enforcement partners and the Illinois Attorney General's office for their thorough work and professionalism throughout this matter," said Stephenson County State's Attorney Larson. "Their dedication ensured that this case was handled with the seriousness it deserved and that the community was well-served by the outcome."

Raoul's office, with a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force that investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement agencies. The task force receives CyberTips, or online reports of child sexual abuse material, from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Over the last several years, CyberTipline reports have steadily increased. In 2024, reports to the ICAC Task Force increased by 11% over 2023.

Illinois' ICAC Task Force is one of 61 ICAC task forces throughout the country and is comprised of a network of more than 200 local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Since 2019, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has received more than 60,000 CyberTips and has been involved in more than 1,000 arrests of sexual predators. Since 2006, the Attorney General's ICAC Task Force has been involved in more than 2,400 arrests of sexual predators. In 2024, the task force was involved in rescuing more than 45 child victims from ongoing abuse. The task force also has provided internet safety training and education to tens of thousands of parents, teachers, students and law enforcement professionals.

Attorney General Raoul is reminding the public that child sexual exploitation can be reported online at cybertipline.com and child abuse at dcfsonlinereporting.dcfs.illinois.gov. In addition, local child advocacy centers can be found at childrensadvocacycentersofillinois.org.

Deputy Bureau Chief Shantikumar Kulkarni prosecuted the case for Raoul's High Tech Crimes Bureau.